5290, chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges
November 25, 2010 to January 9, 2011 and traveling to Galerie Port-Maurice, la Bibliothèque Rivière-des-Prairies, la Bibliothèque publique Eleanor London Côte Saint-Luc and Centre culturel de Dorval.
Le Tarot de Montréal is a contemporary portrayal on the theme 'Tarot,' as interpreted by 22 local artists.
By Jessica Surendorff
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| Le TAROT de MONTRÉAL, vue d'ensemble : les vingt-deux cartes et le dos taroté, 2009. Image courtesy marieclaudebouthillier.org |
Marie-Claude Bouthillier, curator and the brains behind the concept of this exhibition, invited 22 Québec artists to recreate a new version of the Major Arcana (which are in a sense the 22 'royal' picture cards of the Tarot). The aim was to use the symbols and icons that are seen in the Tarot pack, and allow the artist to communicate these images through their own artistic practices. Bouthillier explains that her method behind matching the artist to the card was done by considering the "conceptual or formal associations" between the Arcana and the artist's personal style and approach to art-making.
The mysteriousness associated with Tarot is felt upon entering the space. The contemporary twist on these 15th Century fortune-telling cards did not mean that the aura of 'hidden knowledge' was lost. In the modest space of the Maison de culture Côte-des-Neiges, I felt like I was in my own gypsy caravan.
Well, an Ikea gypsy caravan, since this particular space could have come straight out of a catalogue. Along with the pale wooden flooring, the exposed lighting gives the 1st floor of the Maison de culture this stage like quality. The focused lighting set up was like a pin point on each card, like I was peeping trough a keyhole into the world of the Arcana.
Bouthillier's decision of matching the frames to the flooring of the space gives the exhibition a sense of unity; with each art work having sufficient breathing space between the next to allow time for the viewer to process the story of the card (before moving on to the next little secret).
At the entry of the space, Bouthillier has set up two cabinets showcasing the traditional Tarot de Marseille and the Le Tarot de Montréal. Placed in their correct numerical order, the traditional Major Arcana is obviously in contrast to the contemporary interpretation. In the one cabinet we see typical medieval iconography; bold line work and clear symbolism. Even if someone has never seen a Tarot pack in their lives, they would be able to guess what each card represents. The limited colour palette of black red, blue, yellow, green and beige seems almost clinical and rigid in comparison to the contemporary counterpart – but there is still something very powerful and mysterious about these cards. In the other cabinet; cut to the same dimensions of a traditional pack lies the Tarot de Montréal, seeming more intriguing with its organic lushness.
On the wall, placed between these two cabinets, is the 23rd card – acting as a bridge between that old world and the present. This card is the 'reverse card,' which at a first glance resembles the back of any deck of cards. Done in ink on Japanese paper, this card was created by Bouthillier and seems to be the uniting point of the exhibition. The blue and black chequered motif on the reverse of the card is called 'taroté,' and Bouthillier explains that this allowed her to "cover all cards." Having an interest in screens and nets, Bouthillier describes the painting of the 23rd card, saying it was "as though I held each artist in my hands."
Each piece of the Le Tarot de Montréal is 40cm x 30cm, and has been arranged around the space clockwise in numerical order, giving a needed sense of harmony to an exhibition which showcases so many different styles and mediums. A number of the artists remained faithful to the original in their representation of the Tarot de Marseille; keeping the composition and imagery very similar. On the other hand, some of the artists have interpreted the cards in a much broader and contextual sense.
Card number 1 is Le Bateleur; The Mountebank, which Éric Simon has portrayed as a dynamic ninja. According to the medieval character of The Mountebank this was a man who vigilant and strong. With the six ninja figures executing acrobatic moves and wielding various weapons, this message of strength and alertness is clear. These figures are backed by psychedelic patterns and colours (done with a mix of pens and crayons), which makes a stark contrast between the dark forms of the ninjas. This card looks like something that the cool kid sitting next to me in geography class was drawing instead of paying attention to our high school teacher. But the composition, and the precise way Simon uses felt pens in the drawing of the ninjas show his sound skills in creating form and shadows. At the centre of this striking piece we see one of the ninjas, kneeling before a hat and coins, holding a sign 'Du Change pour un Ninja.' Although this panhandling ninja is midway through drawing out his sword, he isn't the least bit threatening with his comical hat and crazy, psychedelic background. Makes me wonder what Simon's opinion is on what makes someone vigilant and resilient in the contemporary context of Le Bateleur.
The next card in the series is a black and white photograph by Éve K. Tremblay. The first thing I notice in Tremblay's interpretation of La Papesse is the look of slight disgust and annoyance on the woman's face. It’s as if someone has disturbed her little intellectual moment reading from a book called 'The Waste Land and other Poems.' I almost expect to see the white trail of a set of Apple earbuds, but am pleasantly surprised. This woman is not like those people you see on the metro that revel in excessive sensory stimulation (so are you really reading? Or are you really listening? Or are you really just trying to block everyone and everything else out?) Tremblay has clearly communicated the symbolism behind the original La Papesse tarot card, which on the superficial level is wisdom and intuition. More apparent in this photograph is the card's other meaning; a retreat into the world of theoretical knowledge and the arts.
The following card in the pack is L'Impératice, and this piece seems to be the 'favourite child' of the collection, as it is seen in almost all the marketing material and reviews for this exhibition. The Empress was assigned to Yan Giguère, as the card represents creativity of nature and growth. Bouthillier was familiar with Giguère's recent works involving the relationship of humans and nature. This assemblage of floral images with the queen and her staff has a rather soothing and feminine feel. The balance between the unsaturated background and the intense cluster of bright flowers in the foreground works well – and although this montage has a very 'cut and paste' feel to it, the composition still has life and movement. In keeping with the traditional Tarot, this piece has a mysterious element to it, conjuring up ideas of fairies and folklore. I admire the way Giguère was turned a succulent plant into the Empress's crown by blowing up the image and adorning the points on the leaves with pansies, like little jewels. Just to break up the 'prettiness' of it all, the Empress's staff is like a glowing, nuclear rod – over exposed to the max. There is also added cuteness of the Empress's shield being represented as a giant mushroom, with a curious owl peeping over the top. This piece is very lush and textured, and one could spend forever breaking down and analyzing the imagery and symbolism.
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| L'Impératrice : Yan Giguère, image numérique, 30 x 40 cm, 2009 courtesy marieclaudebouthillier.org |
The Empress is evidently followed by L'Empereur; a silver silhouette of a giant man. As is his female counterpart, he is branding a staff in his hand, but this time the top is adorned with the Québecois Fleur-de-lys. This silver giant is seated on a throne decorated with a golden eagle coat of arms, looming over a sparse landscape. In contrast to the Emperor's casual and relaxed posture; his staff reads "Be Prepared." This card belongs to self-taught artist Mathieu Beauséjour, who has clearly represented the cards symbols of power and money. The photograph that Beauséjour has chosen for the landscape is actually of a mine in Northern Québec. The thing that strikes me the most about this card is that at the centre of The Emperor's chest is a white disc, with lines radiating out like some religious super-nova.
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| L'Empereur : Mathieu Beauséjour, image numérique, encre, 30 x 40, 2009 courtesy marieclaudebouthillier.org |
My initial impression of Le Pape was the return to the traditional layout and structure of the Tarot de Marseille. The composition as a whole (the figures and the placement of the title and card numbers) echoes that of the original tarot. Benoit Bourdeau use of digital layering with low opacity makes the card look like the Ghosts of Priests Past have come together for a chat. Bourdeau has introduced a scientific element to the card, with many of the layers involving alchemist diagrams, mathematical equations and drawings much like Leonardo's sketches of machines. As you look through the layers you can see the figure of The Pope in a swirling halo of algebra, lit by the aura of the blue flame of a Bunsen burner. At the very centre of this mash-up of science and religion is a face with heavy eyes and full lips – the face of a woman. Bourdeau's composition leaves one with a lot to think about…
Next in line are The Lovers. Andrea Szilasi has used photo montage to create this card, which traditionally portrays a man having to choose between two women. The faces of the two women cannot be seen in this version of L'Amoureux, but we can see that the lover has to choose between a flaxen-haired girl and a brunette. Between the two women is a giant, square cut-out of an eye (which probably represents the man who has to decide between which of his lovers to keep). The piece is dominated by a large wooden fence in the background, which is cutting off nearly all of the sky line. What's on the other side of this fence? Perhaps this signifies the unknown in relationships and commitments, as we do not know what is on the other side until a choice is made.
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| L’Amoureux : Andrea Szilazi, collage photo, 30 x 40 cm, 2009 courtesy marieclaudebouthillier.org |
Number 7 is a quirky interpretation of Le Chariot by Pierre Gauvin. The styling process of putting this photograph together looks like it would have been much fun, as Gauvin has taken everyday objects and used them together in a seemingly nonsensical manner. At the centre we have the figure we expect of The Chariot card; the warrior, the conqueror on his noble steed (a bicycle in this case). Our chariot rider looks like he went to a costume party as 'Tin-Man' from The Wizard of Oz; got drunk and stole someone's crown, V for Vendetta mask, prosthetic foot and pet rabbit. This photograph makes me smile more than it makes me think about power and success; but none the less I like the composition and the use of light. In the background we see streams of red and white lights from the passing traffic, which I think is balanced quite well with the white rabbit and red bicycle.
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| Le Chariot : Pierre Gauvin, photographie, 30 x 40 cm, 2009 courtesy marieclaudebouthillier.org |
Sophie Jodoin's interpretation of La Justice is a mixed media of crayon and collage; and I quite like this piece due to its simplicity. Jodoin has not gone over board with the symbolism of this card, and piece is so bold and simplistic it looks almost like the logo for a successful clothing brand or music label. In the original Tarot, a seated woman holds the scales in one hand and a sword in the other – but in this contemporary interpretation the woman has been doubled, with the head of the women being replaced by some kitchen scales, and the sword being replaced by a butter knife. This card reminds me of the negative of a film strip, which I think is well suited to the concept of weighing up positives and negatives.
The next card is that of L'Hermite; which is a card that is easy for anyone to decipher even if they are not familiar with Tarot. Obviously, this card is about solitude and meditation – focusing inward on one's self. Yann Pocreau was chosen to represent this card as much of his photography explores the subjects of a lonely figure in vast spaces and landscapes. In Pocreau's photograph we see The Hermit in a form very similar to the original Tarot; a man wondering alone at night with his cane and lantern, in the search for light and possible answers.
In comparison to the other cards, I find that Le Roue de Fourtune is a nice break from the other mediums that have been used in Le Tarot de Montréal. Claudia Bernal has created this card using etching and ink, and has used a fluid and free-hand style unlike most of the other pieces in this collection (which consist mostly of photography and collage). The wheel itself has been represented as a swirling vortex, much like the symbol for eternity. Around the wheel are three strange creatures; hybrids of animals and plants. At the top of the wheel is the creature at the height of its fortune; a totemic style figure that somehow reminds me of a dissected animal in the science lab. This funny creature is soon to been brought back down to earth by The Wheel of Fortune, which is central to the cards meaning that earthly power is an illusion.
The three focal elements of Cynthia Girard's La Force are a moth, a tortoise and a lovebird. This is usually not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Strength. Usually, this Tarot shows a woman taming a lion, but I really admire Girard's use of gouache and line work to make this delicate and feminine painting. Something about this piece reminds me of a fairytale, or one of Aesop's fables. The moral of this particular story is maybe is 'looks can be deceiving' or something equally cheesy along those lines. Perhaps Girard has chosen these animals to represent forms of strength that are less overt. Instead of showing a powerful and aggressive lion we see a tortoise - the strength of determination, maybe? We see the bird, with a delicate chain in its beak – perhaps this is the strength of skill and craftsmanship? At the top of the piece we see the moth, which could even have a double meaning – the quiet strength of being able to blend and adapt, or even the strength of re-birth and new beginnings.
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| La Force : Cynthia Girard, gouache sur papier, 30 x 40 cm, 2009 courtesy marieclaudebouthillier.org |
The Hanged Man is a card that represents how we can choose to remain inactive and let fate determine the outcomes - our ability to 'let go.' Stéphanie Béliveau's interpretation of this card clearly shows this, with the figure of Le Pendu being very similar to the original Tarot. Béliveau's work looks like it has gone through the photocopier a few times and the use of mixed materials gives this monochrome piece a grungy and edgy look. What makes this card even more interesting is the tranquil smile on the face of The Hanged Man, which I think is appropriate to the card's symbolism of self reflection.
Lucky Number 13: The Unnamed Arcana, (which also commonly called the Death card). This card typically depicts a skeletal Death wielding his scythe. You would think that this card forewarns ill-fortune, but it's quite the opposite. According to the Tarot this card signifies change and new beginnings. Patrice Fortier has used collage in this representation of the card; where Death is dressed in what looks like golfing attire. Beneath Death, we see cut out dolls' heads buried in the ground. This card uses the symbolism of 'the harvest' to portray change and re-birth; and maybe these dolls heads represent ideas that are waiting to grow and develop. This version of Sans Nom has been finished off nicely with gold leaf in the boarder and the Number 13.
La Tempérance stands out considerably in this collection. Marie-Claude Pratte's style is fluid, bold and quite dark in comparison to many of the feminine pieces in Le Tarot de Montréal. The meaning of this card is reconciliation and harmony, and the traditional Temperance shows an angel pouring liquid from one pitcher to another. In Pratte's depiction of the card we see more of a fallen-angel (a jukie-esque woman with an angel tattoo on her upper arm). This piece is a bit more provoking than some of the other works in this collection, but not as uplifting. To me this contradicts the cards meaning of harmony and equilibrium; but perhaps this interpretation is more about the hope of finding balance and harmony.
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La Tempérance : Marie-Claude Pratte, gouache et acrylique sur papier, 30 x 40, 2009 courtesy marieclaudebouthillier.org |
For a card representing The Devil, Max Wyse has created what I think is a bright and punchy art work. This collage of pastel and ink has a limited colour platelet of cool hues from lime green to a touch of aquamarine, watermelon tones and a hint of yellow. Le Diable has been represented here as a creature with four human legs and a green silhouet of a head placed at the intersection of the legs. Wyse showcases his skilled line work in this piece, and we see this especially in the detailed drawings of the two cobra heads that The Devil is perched upon. This hybrid human-spider devil is backed by the familiar five-pointed star on the pastel green and pink background.
The House of God card (also referred to as The Tower in other Tarot versions), usually indicates catastrophe and ruin brought on by our own ego. Traditionally the card shows two people falling from a tower struck down by lightning; the force of God. In Sonia Haberstich's representation of La Maison-Dieu the ill-fortune associated with the card is lost, as her animated and bold style makes her work quite entertaining. With the array of mixed materials ranging from ink, beads, glue, digital image and other craft objects – the collage is so bright and busy it looks like a candy store. The presence of God is shown as a sleepy omniscient eye watching down on the two figures that look like garden gnomes. This piece has this soft, textile sense to it, and looks almost edible! (But I wouldn't try it; I think the craft stick-on-eyes are a bit of a choking hazard…)
Following on from La Maison-Dieu, another collage that is heavy on the craft and mixed media is L'Étoile. Louise Mercille has used a black and white self portrait to represent the figure in this card. The Star card signifies inspiration and protection, and depicts a woman with a vessel kneeling next to the body of water. Above the figure, Mercille has formed the star from a collage of print, sequins and flower shaped beads. The star radiates above the woman's head like a crown, representing the card’s symbolism of inspiration and ideas. To the left of the kneeling woman is a green leaf garland, with a small golden candle placed at the centre. This makes a nice break from the rest of the composition that consists only of black, white, silver and gold. Overall, this is a tranquil and alluring piece.
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| L’Étoile : Louise Mercille, collage photo, matériaux divers, 30 x 40 cm, 2009 courtesy marieclaudebouthillier.org |
The next art work is very similar to its predecessor, with regards to the tranquil mood of the piece. La Lune was created by Emmanuelle Léonard, who has stayed very true to the original Arcana in regards to the composition and the imagery of the two wolves, the moon and a body of water. This is quite a dark and moody piece in comparison to many of the works in this exhibition, and as I peer into the depths of this piece, I see myself and the reflection of the Arcanas on the wall behind me. This makes me think of the moon being reflected upon water, and I realize this arrangement has been carefully thought out by the curator. I still wonder, however, what the exhibition would have been like if the works were displayed like spread one would see during a real Tarot reading?
The Moon is obviously followed by The Sun. This piece is a cheerful contrast to the previous two works, and David Fafrance's naïve style and bright colour palette easily convey the ideas and symbolism associated with the card. Le Soleil represents growth, abundance and radiance; and in this interpretation of the card we see an almost childlike depiction of a garden. The sun itself has a human face, and beams down on two figures playing in a fountain. It's not clear if the figures are children or statues that are a part of the fountain. Curator Bouthillier does mention that one interpretation of this is that the wall around the figures represents the Garden of Eden.
Sylvie Bouchard's version of Le Judgement is more abstract in its composition, I believe, even in comparison to some of the busy collages in this collection. The card traditionally shows three figures rising from their tombs after being called from their tombs by and angel with a trumpet. Without knowing the meaning of the card, it would be difficult to decipher the symbols and elements that Bouchard has used. Done with ink on Japanese paper, we see two monkeys with trumpets, playing on top of some geometric shapes. Growing out of some puzzle-like blocks of colour on the floor are some small branches. Within these branches is a nest containing eggs and some items of clothing. The card symbolizes an announcement, new projects and transformation. Perhaps this is what the nest of eggs and the growing branches stand for?
Le Monde conveys ideas about our existence and place in the world. Done with watercolor and collage, Nancy Belzile has used the four elements to represent the world. The World card usually shows a naked woman covered with leaves and surrounded by angels and animals. Belzile has kept some of these essential elements, and has placed a woman in the centre of the piece with reeds and grass growing around her. Below is a blue puddle that represents water, to the right a flame for fire, and above an odd four-winged and feathered bird to represent air. Each of the four elements have been placed inside a white orb, with each one connected to the woman with a hot-pink beam. This arrangement reminds me of a diagram of the solar system, which is fitting to the card's symbolism of the cosmic consciousness.
The last card of the Tarot is Le Mat. This card shows a figure on a journey being chased by a dog. In this representation of The Fool photographer Kim Waldron has posed as the pilgrim with her own dog. The Fool signifies someone on a journey with infinite possibilities, with the dog biting at their ass as a reminder to take council. Waldron's photograph shows a beautiful country side; a lush forest on the cliff side next to a river. The traveler has set out to explore this beautiful scene, but has not considered that they are braving the Canadian elements without their Canadian Goose jacket. Also, they are prepared to go hiking only in a pair of Ked's (and without any socks) – very foolhardy indeed.
This touring exhibition gives great insight to 23 different artists' styles and the ways they communicate their art. The mediums showcased range from paint, to photography, to ink, to pen to pastels… and even glitter and bells. In having to interpret and recreate the major Arcana in a contemporary mind frame, the artists' thought and work process are revealed to the viewer. In all, I could describe Le Tarot de Montréal as seductive and whimsical, with its vast mix of styles and moods. These works were on display at Maison de la Culture Cote-des-Neiges until January 9, 2011, and are in circulation around Montreal until August 2011.
