Description
Two contortionists perform with four wands. The one on the bottom is using "canes" and the person on the top is using an aerial "tissue". Ten lights shine onto the figures which are in the shape of the Tree of Life.
Symbolism
Each contortionist wears colors that relate to the card. The lights represent the sephira of the Tree of Life. The tissue from the top connects the two figures.
Card Meaning
Contortion is an umbrella of skills. In this picture, two performers are showing contortion, but in different forms. The top is using an acrobatic tissue, and the bottom is using canes. The bottom figure must use much energy and concentration to stay up, while the aerialist can make a bind and hold on to stay up.
In other words, the bottom figure is at the mercy of wands, while the top performer is doing the opposite and is in partial control. They also correspond to the Tree of Life in the background; the arialist has taken the "high" road being up at Kether, while the canes performer is stuck in a lower sphere, namely 9 and 10, and is in the low world of Malkuth. However, both show skill and stability -- the backbone meaning of this card.
The top performer wears blues, purples, and dark reds, the color of fours according to Julia Turk. The bottom performer wears black and white, a duality that shows two vs two, which is a duplicate of one vs one.
Artistic Media
Felt tip permanent pens were used to stipple the outline drawing.
Artist's Bio
Rainwolf, or also commonly known as Matt, is a UC Davis student currently majoring in psychology and biology. He enjoys spending time with his friends, gymnastics, amateur contortion, and of course tarot. Matt was introduced to stippling in an art class, and to tarot at the age of 16. He hopes to make a tarot deck with 77 other cards similar to and including this 4 of Wands.
Go back to the project index, read the traditional card meaning, or get a free automated reading with this deck.
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