Review by 6 Haunted Days
This is a new deck by the creators of The Vision Tarot. I saw some scans months ago and was taken aback with some of the stunning images....the Hermit and The World right off.
I got it recently and am blown away by the surreal dreamtime imagery in this deck! So many of the cards cast a spell, transporting you to another realm. The creators said in the LWB "As visual artists primarily engaged in representing today's issuea, this project provided an interesting challenge - contrasting the medieval view with that of the modern world. We haven't tried to re-create accurate historical as might be found in a period movie, rather we've aimed for a surreal and dream like amalgam of the old and new. The flavour of the medieval with hints of the unexpectedly modern as perhaps a modern person would experience in a dream about the middle ages."
I couldn't have tried to explain the imagery better, or what they were going for. It's quite something and very unique and striking. The chariot has a stunning iron studded horse with a mail fist, very powerful. The Sun card a shining brilliant sea of sunflowers extending from a balcony with a large sundial. The Hermit an older man in a monks robe finding his way with a candle admist a dark library with a roaring fire. In the case of this deck the minors have been as brilliantly created and given as much thought as the Majors.
The main medium is photography, with lots of manipulation to create the surreal landscape and scenes. Lots of hidden images in the mists and ether. The models used are excellent, very sublime and smooth. There are statues, wooden horses, animals. Strange things pop up in these cards! I'm not usually a fan of photographic decks, but you really must see this deck to fully experience it's impact and sheer beauty. There is much darkness here, but in a fairytale way. The colours of the images are exquisite, rich and gorgeous. This is a stunner of a deck. The concept is very original and inspired. The only one of it's kind. Knowing there are thousands of decks out there, that's quite a compliment.
The cards are a very comfortable 3 x 5 inches. They are slick and smooth so shuffle like silk. Wonderful texture and sensuous feel. This to me is important. If cards feel great in your hands and while shuffling, you want to use them all the time! The backs are fully reversable with 2 spikey suns on a weathered stone background. AGM Urania is the publisher, and they publish high quality decks in every way. There are very minimal black borders, a great choice to offset the art and colours. The LWB is sufficent, nothing great, nor bad either. I would love a book written for this deck, with fairytales written just for these lovely images.
If you're at all interested in the Medieval era, and love surreal dream-like images and fairytales... you will really enjoy and love this deck!
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