On Thursday, June 6th, 2024, we hosted a talk with independent scholar John Matthews and artist Charles Newington, showcasing their new tarot deck, "The Fool's New Journey."
The creation of this deck began with John Matthews' questions: Why must a tarot deck have 78 cards? Why must it have four suits and major arcana? And how can these conventions be revisited?
Since the inception of this deck, Matthews reminisces about Eden Gray's mantra: "Tarot is based on the Journey of The Fool." It is on this concept that he builds a tarot narrative centred around the figure of The Fool, who sets out on his own yet is connected to everyone.
His new interpretation of the tarot detaches itself from the traditional structure and archetypical readings, favoring a set of cards that connects to the world we are living in now. This approach offers a more immediate understanding of the cards, making this deck ideal for beginners and a clear guide for readers of higher levels.
From the perspective of artist Charles Newington, this tarot signified a big challenge, as he admits: "Getting this tarot to the bare bones was quite a challenge. [...] What John has done, in a way, is quite important. He has turned the tarot upside down and this is bound to create controversy, if not anger".
However, despite the initial apprehension, the deck has been warmly welcomed by the vast majority of users, thanks to its adaptability, clarity, and beautiful design.
Our Review of The Fool's New Journey
The Fool's New Journey presents itself as a trailblazing set of cards. Leaving on the side the traditional tarot structure (minor 56 and major 22), it features an exceptional 60 cards, each representing various aspects of the human experience—such as Remembering, The Escape, Sleep, and Chaos—while also incorporating simplified versions of the traditional major arcana.
Each card is rich in meaning, imbued with deep mythology, psychology, and symbolism.
The accompanying booklet is an extensive resource, almost a book in its own right. It provides detailed explanations of the cards (Part 1), narrates The Fool's Story, a tale centered on the figure of The Fool (Part 2), and offers a guide to working with the deck (Part 3).
John Matthews has created many decks over the course of his career, all of them portraying very rich cards in a deeply historical context. The Fool's New Journey introduces a wholly new concept: a deck where each card is a major arcana accompanied by an extensive narrative.
It appears that at the heart of this deck is a desire to simplify, making it an ideal first tool for those venturing into tarot for the first time, especially appealing to younger generations, as authors claim. Moreover, The Fool's New Journey is a very good set for readers that like to use a variety of cards and offer unconventional readings.
This goes along very well with artist Charles Newington, well-known for his Folkestone Horse and prolific career, as well as the brush behind Matthews' Goblin Tarot.
Newington infuses this deck with a sense of wonder through a vibrant, minimalistic art-style. And while the paintings are simple and soft, they also go straight to the core of every card.
You can listen to our conversation with John and Charles on our YouTube channel and order the deck on our webshop (button below).
Author references:
- John Matthews: http://www.hallowquest.org.uk - Charles Newington: https://charlesnewington.com
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