Review by Jess
The Adrian Tarot deck,
created by Adrian Köhli, is beautiful and classy in a
simple way. The digitally altered photographic images
posses a modern dreamlike quality and without any
background noise. They are simple, but lovely. In addition,
when pieced together in place of the sephiroth of the
Tree of Life, a background image of the Lovers is
formed. Instructions are included in the booklet, and this
image is repeated in the background of all of the cards.
Artistically speaking, it seems unique and interesting.
This
deck is a wonderful addition to any Tarot art
collection, but may not be ideal for much beyond that. I
personally have not been able to do anything but look at it.
The cardstock is a bit thin, and I am afraid that they
will wear and tear quickly. They are longer than
average and may make for difficult shuffling. The backs of
the cards are directional, so this deck may not be
ideal for those who place emphasis on reversals. All of
the suit cards are pips, and while charming, the
imaging gives no hint as to their meaning or value.
Included on each card, however, is text in both English and
German of the statements of the cards. This text is
based, of course, on the creator's idea of the card’s
meaning and each is limited to one or two words. I have
found that many digital decks tend to do this and I am
curious why they do not just create images that are more
descriptive. The Major Arcana's imagery, which is an affected
version of the classic Rider-Waite deck, may be useful
apart from the suit cards. In general they are simple
renditions of Waite’s idea for each image. The backdrop
coloring, while I have found no rhyme or reason aside from
the puzzle of the background imaging, may be useful in
some way. I, myself, have had no luck in determining
what that may be. The symmetrical line overlays might
seem arbitrary, but if one looks, they give a feel that
partners with the image and definition of the card very
well.
Adrian Tarot is an aesthetically pleasing deck with little
usefulness, that I have found, beyond that.
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