Since its refurbishment The Warburg Institute now has a gallery space. Its second exhibition, Tarot: Origins and Afterlives, explored a subject I know very little about.
Early examples of cards showed tarot’s roots as a courtly card game in the Italian Renaissance following its evolution through mysticism and the occult to counter-culturalism.
Aleister Crowley was the “arch magus” of the 20th Century in the UK and worked with artist Frieda Harris from about 1938 to 1943 to create the Thoth Tarot. She encouraged him to break with tradition by developing modern iconography.
I have never had my cards read and had no idea they were such fertile ground for artists. Sets made by contemporary artists bringing the tradition right up to date.
John Walter has been making tarot sets as part of his creative practice for several years.
Sharon Gal created Etudes as a tool to explore possibilities.
Suzanne Treister has explored emerging technologies throughout her career. Her HEXEN series of tarot reflect influences and drivers of contemporary culture.
