Review of Kat Black's Golden Tarot
...a journey in the birthing of a Tarot deck
by Jean-Michel David
I must admit that I wasn't sure what to expect. One can
see images on Kat Black's site, or indeed on various other
sites which have used one or more of her designs... but
the difference which always arises between the light pixelled
electronic version and the printed version can be so vast
as to make one wonder how the two can be so different.
In this case, it also is - Quite a nice deck!
Golden Tarot has had quite a journey in its making, and
some of it appears like the excuses one may hear from far-fetched
stories, rather than the reality of the travails of its
birth.
A number of years ago, Kat Black decided to make herself
a deck by electronically 'collaging' images from Mediaeval
and Renaissance Europe. That deck developed as a labour
of both beauty and love, for her own usage. Sensibly -
at least in my personal view - Kat opted for the more traditional
numbering in the Major Arcana, with Justice as eight, and
Strength as eleven.
By this time two years ago, it was basically and unscrupulously
pirated from her site by a German calendar/diary maker
and published without her approval - or even knowledge
at the time. Those pirated cards were of the Major Arcana
only, and each card measures approximately four by seven
centimetres, with 'TAROT-Kalender 2002' prominantly printed
on each of the card's lower portion and reverse, reminding
us of www.realis.de's illegitimate claims.
Then, one night, Kat Black woke to the ringing of her
phone. I have since been puzzled as to what may have motivated
Stuart Kaplan to ring at a time he could not have failed
to know would have been a Western Australian's dreamtime.
Perhaps it was a very astute strategy rather than carelessness.
In any case, the CEO of the world's largest Tarot deck
distributor, and publisher of the three volume (soon to
be four [the fourth volume was released in late 2005]) Encyclopedia
of Tarot made a contractual offer. Not only would
Kat have her deck published and broadly distributed, but,
of course, it would be legally protected. Amongst many
other qualities, the American sense for legalities is altogether
well known in other parts of the world.
In the meantime, of course, various people had contacted
Kat about the pirated copy, and Tarot Garden (whom I would
recommend for this act alone) went so far as to generously
ask her what they should do with copies of the deck they
acquired prior to knowing of the piracy. In addition, it
seems that there was also concerted effort by various people
who had found her site and deck and thought it should be
published to strive to get US Games to have a look at this
wonderful rendition. A grass-roots call for publication
of a masterfully re-mastered work of masters.
But what of the cards themselves? Already you have seen
some of these here - undoubtedly even before reading these
very words. What the images cannot do justice to, however,
is the general feel and quality of the finished product.
And for those who hold the printed version of the Newsletter,
the black-&-white rendering makes the cards even further
removed from their golden state.
The cards measure approximately seven by twelve centimetres,
and are gilt gold along their edges. The images have both
a radiance and na•ve beauty so wonderfully maintained from
the chief masters from which Kat Black re-crafted the images:
Simone Martini, Gozzoli, Giotto de Bondone, and, quite
frankly, such a wide variety of artists that the delight
in discovery - irrespective of the deck's merit as Tarot
- makes the deck a delight to behold.
The fabulous box in which the deck comes is a delight
- and I am sure that here US Games has started a new phase
in the care of box design. Already alternatives have appeared
to what has rather become conventional packaging for Tarot
decks and proving rather... how shall I put it, inconvenient
(I'm trying to be polite!). With the box design in which
the Golden
Tarot is presented, one wants to keep it - and use it!
It is solid, well sized, and beautiful.
The deck itself, unfortunately, has been, in its re-working
for US Games publication, altered in some ways I would
personally have preferred left as was. Of especial alteration
of note is its closer resemblance to imagery as depicted
on the Waite/Colman Smith deck (published variously, but
often referred to as the 'Rider-Waite').
The Major Arcana images have been modified from the earlier
version Kat made for herself. As a result, some of the
'rawness' of the earlier collage has disappeared. In direction,
however, the images have, rather than simply become better
blended, become ever closer to those of the Waite/Colman
Smith. Justice and Strength have also been re-numbered
to fit this structure, and the minor arcana has been guided
in numerous ways by the artwork of Pamela Colman Smith.
There are, of course, numerous exceptions. Death, for
example, is depicted in image quite unlike either the skeletal
reaper or the Horseman; the Hanged Man maintains, as per
the Marseilles, the right leg folded; the Wheel of Fortune
is a charming rendition which combines traditional imagery
with traditional representations of age; the Hermit is
on no mountain - or none that is obvious; and, wonderfully,
the Magician has his left hand raised, and right lowered,
as is more traditional.
As Kat Black described, she has used the Waite/Colman
Smith for over twenty years, and intended the newer version
of her deck to combine what she values in both the Waite/Colman
Smith and the Visconti-Sforza
Some cards will be, for myself, more difficult to adjust
to. For example, having the figure of the Star standing
with two urns makes the imagery, out of context, seem virtually
like a representation of Temperance - especially as even
the 'flooding' stream or river is omitted; the Aces, with
their absolutely stunning and wonderful representations
by Angelic beings holding the single implement - be it
Cup, Sword, Staff or Coin - gives, in some cases, the impression
that here is the Page of the suit.
Of course, I write this as I look at individual cards,
and without the benefit of having used them much. In no
time at all, a user would quickly get to differentiate
and get to recognise these for what they are.
The courts are, to my eyes, particularly beautiful, and
wished I had the space to depict them all!
Let me return a while as to how I obtained the three copies
I received - not all for myself, I must say!
When I heard, quite a while back, that Kat's deck was
being published, I asked Tarot Garden to put two sets aside,
knowing that here was one I could give a friend with quite
discerning tastes.
To say the decks took a while in coming is an understatement.
Initially, I thought that with some to be expected delays
in publication, the projected date of mid-2003 would still
give me sufficient time to obtain one for his Virgoan birthday.
Of course, how could one know beforehand that delays upon
delays would be expected ('didn't you do a reading' I hear
some say in cheek). At that early stage, even the name
of the deck had not been decided, being left, unlike Kat
personal effort, in the hands of US Games. To their credit,
they maintained the title which surely serves it best.
Not long after this, another pirated attempt was made -
and as Kat says, they attempted to 'flog [these] dodgy
copies on eBay'.
... and not long after that, another.
The high seas seemed fuller of pirates than wealthy cargo
holders!
In the meantime, US Games was busily trying to get the
deck published. To save costs on a deck they wanted to
nonetheless maintain at high quality, they used a printer
in China, rather than the usual Belgium one... but from
here, allow me to quote Kat herself as she explained it
on Aeclectic www.tarotforum.net :
'I didn't know that my deck was being printed in China
until my own copy (finally) arrived. Almost all of the
US Games decks I have were printed in Belgium. I too suspected
that the delays were at least partly because it's being
made in China rather than their usual arrangement with
(some of the world's best) printers in Belgium.
The quality is very good, though. And US Games told me
that there is no way that they could have produced such
a high quality deck AND a heavy-duty box AND a nearly-200-page
mini-book for RRP of US$25 unless it was done in China.'
Great, many of us thought - and many ordered, or rather
pre-ordered, on Amazon.com. But then, another incident
occured: due to, possibly, delays in publication, pre-orders
were cancelled (for some a second time!), and the deck
removed from its stock list... One can imagine a not too
happy cat, errr, Kat: 'The really hair-tearing thing is
that it's happened sooo close to release (if US Games Ònext
weekÓ is true)', hair-tearing also for those who had pre-ordered
at Amazon.com reduced price.
...and then, when finally all was supposedly about ready
for distribution - - - - another delay! so why the final
delays? After all, a major business and deck distributor
would surely have been on top of all the details!
But here, I must leave the final words to Kat as she explained
it in Aeclectic:
'I just heard from US Games [...].
After all the other reasons that have added up to the
deck being 6 months or so late, this has to be the most
bizarre.
Lucky I'm not the paranoid type....
The shipment was unloaded from (The Slow Boat From) China
on the East Coast, then was put on a train to get to US
Games on the West Coast. In Vancouver, there was an avalanche
and the train got derailed. So all the freight has to be
sorted out and sent by road or whatever.
Hopefully that means it should all be sorted pretty soon.
Unless they're all covered in mud or something. So... if
you ever DO manage to get hold of your copies from this
first edition, you'll know it's already had a more exciting
life than most of us'.
Luckily, I can claim to have received a number of copies
of this first edition... only one of which will remain
in my treasured collection.
I do not easily recommend a deck outside the more traditional
ones - but this deck I heartily do so. Further, it will,
I but strongly suspect, just grow and become ever more
sensitised with ageing. Congratulations both Kat Black
and US Games!
Golden Tarot, published by US Games, isbn 1-57281-434-9
> purchase Golden Tarot on Amazon
visit Kat Black's Golden
Tarot site
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