Casual Madness: Artist-made tarot cards by Kahn & Selesnick now available to order
This summer, the artist duo Kahn & Selesnick broke from their usual practice of staged photography to embark on a new project: a completely hand-illustrated tarot deck entitled "Madame Lulu's Book of Fate."
Picture the following: a humble wagon with a pair of human feet protruding from the bottom trudges steadily along; a man carefully balances the entire world on his back; a beautiful woman adorned in pear-branch regalia rides a reptile as a steed.
If these images amuse you, good; there are 75 more waiting to be discovered in Kahn & Selesnick's newest series, Madame Lulu's Book of Fate. The artists have collaborated to create this whimsical series of 78 illustrations using watercolor on archival paper, to be printed as full tarot decks available for delivery as early as August 1.
The Chariot, 2017, 19 x 13 inches (23 x 17 inches framed), $2,500
The World, 2017, 19 x 13 inches (23 x 17 inches framed), $2,500
This is Kahn & Selesnick's first full series since being represented by Carrie Haddad Gallery that isn't achieved through staged photography, and the transition to the new medium couldn't be more natural. The duo displays an enthusiastic flair for stylized watercolor illustration, enhanced by their celebration of the carnivalesque, a literary ideology that manifests strongly in the casual madness of Madame Lulu and company.
Madame Lulu's Book of Fate tarot deck, $200, edition of 500
The decks themselves are artist-made, meaning that they're signed, numbered, and hand-cut by the illustrators, and they are available through Carrie Haddad Gallery for $200 each. The artists plan to print 500 decks total, so availability is limited. You can preview the deck when you visit the gallery: we have the full 78-card set on hand for your enjoyment.
If tarot readings aren't to your liking, there's good news for you as well: seven of the original drawings are on view at Carrie Haddad Gallery through August 6, displayed in beautiful white 23 x 17-inch frames. Visit the gallery this week and see Kahn & Selesnick's work in person, or take a piece (or two) home and become a part of Madame Lulu's Book of Fate yourself.
Madame Lulu's Book of Fate in Carrie Haddad Gallery Summer Exhibit, 2017
Contact us with inquiries at [email protected] or by phone at (518) 828-1915. Carrie Haddad Gallery is located at 622 Warren St., Hudson, NY and is open 7 days a week, 11 - 5.
