https://editor.p5js.org/jiwonyu/sketches/vsm7j7rwH
description
This p5.sketch includes the major arcana cards of a tarot deck. However, this deck is not a traditional tarot deck; it is redesigned with the traditional Korean art aesthetics. Furthermore, there are no labels within the cards. Therefore, the user has the ability to truly interpret the card meanings to the status of their existence. This way, the card becomes even more ‘unique’ and ‘personalized’ to the users.
The p5 sketch randomly draws 5 cards from the 22 cards, and the user can perform Oswald Wirth’s Major Arcana Tarot Spread (more details below) or Yu Spread (spread interpretation that I made). The user has the ability to save the spread by click the ‘save’ button.
I am not claiming to own the practice of tarot reading practice. I fully realize that tarot reading does not originate from East Asia. The design was purely redone in an attempt to build a bridge between 2 different cultures.
Goal
I aimed to create a personalized tarot deck that would represent my background. Intended to be used by those with Asian heritage, this design attempts to fortify the user’s experience of tarot practice. I want to induce a stronger connection between the Asian users and this tarot deck, compared to the users using a traditional, westernized tarot deck.
why do I want them to have a stronger connection?
I believe that a stronger connection to this deck will further increase the appreciation for tarot practices. I do not want the user to feel as if tarot reading belongs to them. Rather, a stronger connection to this redesigned tarot deck will encourage the user to study tarot practice to its origin and appreciate a practice from a different culture. I also want this deck to become a segueway towards deailenating different cultures.
process
In Week 1 reading, culture appropriation of witch practice was brought up. The article, How to Be a Witch without Stealing Other People’s Cultures, had a clear viewpoint that with the democratization of communication and ideas via technology (like tiktok), appropriation of cultures became so much more accessible and more ‘acceptable’ by the mass media. To this problem, the author suggests a solution. According to the article, there is a way to practice a culture that is not your own in an ethical way:
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“Do your own research. Stop asking people to do research for you. Find out if you’re appropriating, because most likely you’re appropriating,”
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““Be open to reflecting and asking what you can do differently,” said Brooklyn. “Just try to learn, it’s really not that hard.” “
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I defintely agree that sufficient and continuous study of a culture can reduce the chances of appropriation. I wanted to take this into consideration when creating my final meditation.
As someone from a different culture, the question of cultural appropriation versus appreciation was a topic that always intrigued me. With the democratiziation of information and speech, more people have the resources to experience different cultures than ever before. However, this has led to issues of cultural appropration. A popular example of this includes afro and dreads on people of non-African origin and ‘Asian Fishing’ to name a few.
Like the position of the author, I agree that there are ways to appreciate a different culture wihtout appropriating. One must not claim the different culture to be their own; the line between appreciation and appropration depends on the user’s mindset and their understanding of the other culture. With this project, I encourage further studies of tarot practice and traditional Korean art.
The cards were inspired by the Chinese Zodiac, which is also known as the 십이간지 in Korean. Each animals are seen as gods, and these zodiacs still play a large role in shaping Korean culture.
To learn more about the Chinese Zodiac, direct to the websites below:
https://depts.washington.edu/triolive/quest/2007/TTQ07030/index.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthly_Branches
Below is the folder with all the cards:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1fN2objNQ7b12-7WqZw3NoaM4t9vFHZry?usp=sharing
The process of drawing the cards is shown below:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k9KFFcMp-lMS79kqytkdcQiVYdHs1lyN/view?usp=sharing
All cards were drawn in Procreate and exported into Google Drive.
Effects
I believe that visuals of the tarot deck plays a major role in producing a spirituality in the tarot readings. Each cards has its own imagery, symbolism and story. The design of the deck is also dependent on the artist of the tarot deck. That being said, the visuals of this deck induced a different feeling than using a traditional tarot deck. When I used this deck, it made me feel more aware of the pictures. Because the designs of the cards felt more familiar to me, I felt a greater urge to study the pictures and to associate the card’s meaning to the pictures depicted on each card.
Another feeling that was different from using a traditional tarot deck was produced by the digitlaization of this tarot reading. Because the cards are on the screen, and there are no physical tangible object, it did not feel as legitimate. I think having a physical reader enriches the experiences than (perhaps because we are being told about the tarot spread by an ‘authority’ figure — I think it’s hard for the readers to see themselves as the authority of their own)interpretating the spread on our own. There is something about the ‘authorityship’ of the reader that seems to make the interpretation more legitimate.
On another note, I thought the lack of physical objects, i.e. physical cards, also brought a different experience. It made me wonder how the user’s experience might differ if there were physical cards with the redeisgned visuals.
Different Spreads
The user can either perform Oswald Wirth’s Major Arcana Tarot Spread or Yu Spread.
Oswald Wirth’s Major Arcana Tarot Spread
https://www.biddytarot.com/major-arcana-tarot-spreads/
Yu Spread
- Card 1 (left)- the obstacle holding you back from progressing
- Card 2 (right)- your desired state in the future; your goal
- Card 3 (above)- what can help you reach your goal/ get rid of the obstacle
- Card 4 (below)- the hidden reason why you are at where you are
- Card 5 (center)- the querent; your role in the situation
In both spreads, the cards may repeat.
Next steps
As stated before, I think it’d be interesting to see how the user experience would differ if there were physical cards available for the users. For my next step, I want to further user test this by having a print out of the cards. I think having physical cards will also enable the reader role to be established more easily.
On another hand, in the digital media, I thin the next step would be implementing this tarot deck on a website so that more people have access to it.