Indian Tarot Paintings

BySavitha Hira

British-Asian artists, theSingh Twins incorporate their brand of miniature revival into the design ofTarot cards in a unique collaboration with internationallyacclaimed tarot card exponent and author,Dr. Roopa Patel, for her book, ‘Experiencing Tarot: The Art of Healing’. Although one may havecome across some Tarot cards with stock images of Gods andGoddesses of Indian pantheon, this is arguably, the first book by an IndianTarotaulogist.

Using the descriptive text that signifiesthe allegoricalrepresentations of tarot cards, explained in detail by Dr. Roopa Patel, as thestarting point, artists Rabindraand Amrit Singh have developed the imagery of Tarot cardsfollowing their distinctive personal style, yet remaining true to theiconography of one of the most popular set of Tarot images in the Europeantradition, known as the Ryder Waite Deck.

“My text describing each card - the voiceof the card, card meaning, and description of the card, correspondence withother esoteric sciences, shadow aspect, and prayer, which comprises chapter IIof the book, are the basis of the images,” says Dr. Patel.

Dr. Roopa Patel

The urge to create something unique thatreflected their eclectic style and interest in global symbolism led the Singh Twins, as they are popularlycalled, into a thorough research on planetary, gem and zodiac associations withTarot, and the symbolism and language of flora and fauna to convey deeperconcepts and themes inherent in each of the Tarot cards. Most of these havebeen incorporated as decorative motifs around the main image and borders.

Amrit & Rabindra Singh

With much of the palette dictated by the Tarot text itself, which describes howeach card image had its distinct colour association established by the RiderWaite tradition, they enjoyed artistic freedom to select other complimentary coloursthat added to the meaning of the card in some way. One sees their unique touchin the incorporation of Indian elements to the extent possible, in thetreatment of the faces and costumes of the main figures. For example, TheHermit card is reinterpreted as a Hindu Holy man, whilst the Emperor card isdepicted as a Mughal ruler. Also seen are traditional Indian compositional techniques like birds’ eye views of carpets, hierarchical structure andstylization of flowers etc. “At the same time, our Singh Twins version of theTarot imagery shows influence of Art Nouveau, which was one of our favouriteart movements before we discovered the Indian miniature,” they inform.

The book and the exhibitionof 22 original paintings will be launched on October 4, 2011 at theSakshi art gallery, Mumbai.  Special Tarot cards and decorative card boxes have been created for thisoccasion.