Tarot

Inspired by the Tarot card tradition,
known to have originated in North
Italy in the 15th Century, this project
represents my interpretation of each
character from the deck.

Tarot cards, believed by many to hold
divinatory powers, give the reader
great insight into the future. With
countless interpretations, my main
objective with this project was to give
a personal perspective based on a
reading of the present rather than the
future.

To do this, I observed the people of my
environment; those I interacted with on
a day to day basis. I found artists with
a strong, genuine moral strength, who
had become immersed in their own
creative spaces; caught up in their own
worlds. Having shot portraits of them,
it soon became apparent that I was left
with intimate portrayals of each; each
card, each picture with a unique story
to tell, each relating to a particular
character from the deck and their
experience of the place represented; a
modern day interpretation of an ancient
tradition.

THE HIGH PRIESTESS
This image of another performer,
Madalena Pinto, has a close
resemblance to an ancient pagan ritual,
whereby the language of the body
remains to be the only spoken tongue.

I took this picture during the last few
days of The Mission Arts Club, a
former snooker club which had been
converted into art platform where
Madalena, amongst other artists,
formed an art collective hosting
various workshops and events. Sadly,
the building has recently been under
construction to create a multitude of
identical flats to house visitors
attending the Olympic games.