ARCANUM

Reaching out for something sacred,
something eternal, overcoming and transcending.

Arcanum is a series of photographs inspired by the Tarot and specifically the Major Arcana; the most recognized and powerful of the seventy-eight-card deck. The Tarot can be used as an aid for discovery and escaping ominous situations, capturing symbolic messages, and challenging us to think spiritually about our journey and our time here on earth. In this “material” life I have sought after photographing scenes/objects that carry deeper eternal meaning of which has been brought into fruition through Arcanum.

The use of creative studio lighting, and a balanced composition, illuminate these images to form a reconstructed life. Discarded and collected objects are thus trans mutated into god-like entities. The juxtaposition between dark and light creates a surreal and mysterious ambiance to form a fictional representation that allows the viewer to engage with fantasy and their own imagination.

The five card images I chose to depict in Arcanum are a contemporary amendment to the twenty-two Major Arcana cards: Reincarnation, The Forsaken, The Aristocrat, Fate, and The Resurrectionist. Using photography as my medium, each image represents a symbolic higher power reflecting an allegorical illustration.

Through divination, practice, and ritual, we reflect upon the troubles of the heart and mind in search of finding a way to let go, freeing our souls of burden. We search for tools to guide us in finding/making a connection to a deeper understanding of the spiritual world. Indefinite combinations await us as we call upon mystical realms and the ancient magic of the tarot card. ­