Table of Contents
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“If the dream is a translation of waking life, waking life is also a translation of the dream.” These words were spoken by René Magritte. Surrealism is about reality, the way man perceives reality and translates it into his own inner world made of imaginations, feelings, experiences and insights.
Product description from the publisher
I have been interested in surrealist art for a long time. In fact, I wrote my art history master’s thesis on the subject. So, I guess you could say that our relationship is pretty serious. This brings me to the point that if someone advertises a tarot deck of surrealist art to me, I’m bound to take a closer look. There’s a lot of good in Surrealist Tarot, but at the same time, I’m annoyed that it could have been so much better. This deck is not for beginners, but if you like surrealism, it might be for you.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Surrealist art + Decent card quality | – It needed a better guidebook – Deck box could have been better |
About the Creator
Surrealist Tarot’s author is Luigi Di Giammarino. However, I could not find much information about him. According to a few Google searches, he is an illustrator, animator, and comic artist. I found some of his artwork, and at least that suggests that he is a talented artist influenced by surrealist art.
Cards and the Artwork
Surrealist Tarot has 78 cards with good paper quality. The paper could have been thicker, but I think it’s good enough for this kind of showcase deck not meant for daily use. The deck comes in a tuck box that is not the sturdiest, but I have seen worse. The art on the cards is frankly incredible.
It is clear that the artist has studied the original artwork carefully and seems to know what he is talking about, so to speak. Although I have a Master’s degree in art history and have studied a lot of surrealist art, the art on the cards convinced me at first glance that the cards are just copies of existing works. To be honest, I’m still not entirely convinced that the images were created for this deck. The art on the cards combines elements from well-known artists in a way that makes them feel familiar. I think that’s awesome.
The cards have space for art right up to the edges. I think it’s a good choice because it’s hard to fit artwork into a space the size of a card anyway. The art is colourful, dreamy and imaginative. I would love to see more similar compulsions from different art movements in the future. At the bottom of the card is the name of the card, which helps to identify the card. Without it, it could be a little tricky to figure out what it is all about. It is safe to say that this deck does not follow the symbolism of the traditional Waite-Smith deck.
The Guidebook of Surrealist Tarot
There is little to say about the guidebook other than that it should have been much better. The art of the deck is fantastic, but the guidebook should have reflected that. If this deck had included a proper introduction to each of the artworks and the influences behind them, this could have become a series of art decks showcasing different art styles. Learn about art while using tarot cards. Simple as that. I would have been totally on board.
The guide contains the same texts in four different languages. Each card has a description of a couple of sentences, which may not even help you decipher the card. In some cases, the descriptions also seem to be in the wrong places. For example, the Sun card has an egg in the picture, but the description of the card does not mention it. The Judgement card does not have an egg in the picture, but the description mentions it. Who knows, it may not even be a case of confusion but an amusing attempt to turn even the guidebook into a surreal experience where nothing is as it seems.
Conclusion
Surrealist Tarot deck offers stunning artwork and a unique alternative to traditional tarot imagery. The cards are of good quality, and the art is vibrant and imaginative, showcasing the essence of surrealism. However, the deck falls short in terms of its guidebook, which lacks in-depth explanations of the artwork and the symbolism behind each card. With a more comprehensive guidebook, this deck could have been a first step towards a deck series for learning about art styles through tarot cards. Despite this shortcoming, the deck still has the potential to captivate tarot enthusiasts and art aficionados alike.
