By Cooptylew (Shilo Lewis)
First a full disclosure, this deck was a gift to me from the artist “Cooptylew” aka Shilo Lewis. I tried to buy it but she wouldn’t let me because we are Birthday Twins and our birthday was just ‘round the corner.
Before we get to this deck she’s so brilliantly fashioned with Banksy’s art, you should know that Shilo is also an accomplished artist in her own right. She also teaches art. Lucky for us here at Cult of Tarot, she has contributed some of her work to the Button Soup Deck and the Star & Crown Oracle.
- From Button Soup Tarot
- From Star & Crown Oracle
- From Star & Crown Oracle
This deck is the second edition of Shilo’s Banksy Tarot. The first run sold out in a hurry and it looks like this one might too.
I have to confess, I was never really into Banksy before. Of course I had seen his work but I just never really paid attention which I now realise to my great shame was a massive oversight on my part.
I am so grateful to Shilo for opening my eyes to the genius of Banksy.
Sidebar: About a year or so ago a friend of mine practically dragged me to a huge exhibit of Jean-Michel Basquiat and to my total surprise I was blown away by it. Big thanks to people in my life who make me look at things!!
Anyway, as interesting and daring as this deck is, I wasn’t sure how it would read. My doubts however were very quickly dispatched after my very first go. Already I could see that this deck has a very definite voice, and that voice is LOUD.
Clearly Banksy’s art is powerful and layered with meaning, and combined with Shilo’s exceptional talent for matching his work to the Tarot, I felt like the cards were almost physically alive.
What I am experiencing with the Banksy Tarot is a new use of symbols. These are not the ones we are used to seeing in the Tarot, the astrological, alchemic, elemental, etc. These are the symbols of the spirit of modern life. They aren’t defined or named. But you know them when you see them because they make you feel something.
It’s like the images pluck the strings of your very being, and because they are tarot cards and interplaying with other cards in a spread, the sensation is intense and spiritual in this unexpectedly straightforward way.
I lay down a few cards and a full sentence seems to just rise up out of them, clear as day.
The booklet that comes with the deck is a full-color, 20-page accordion style piece of art in itself.
In addition to a short interpretation, Shilo has paired each card with a quote from Banksy. This is just one place where you can see where the minds of the two artists meet and the result is an extraordinary insight into the tarot, and into modern life and the role of art and artist.
I want to give some examples but I don’t know where to start. More accurately, It’s too hard to choose.
Let’s start with some nuts and bolts.
This deck is 80 cards, the regular 78 + 2 bonus cards, Social Justice and Street Artist.
They are printed a very sturdy, smooth cardstock with a matte finish. The colors are clear and vibrant and the deck is edged in a very striking ruby red foil that matches the intensity of the art.
The card backs feature what is possibly Banksy’s most famous piece, Balloon Girl. She’s printed as a mirror image (nice for all you reversals readers) and her balloons have an extra added touch of also being red foil.
Shilo has cleverly reassigned the 4 suits to be in line with the street artists tools of the trade.
So we have Buckets for Cups, Spray Cans for Swords, Brushes for Wands and Stencils for Pentacles.
The Court cards are also renamed Sister, Brother, Mama, Papa.
- Aces
- Sisters
- Brothers
- Mamas
- Papas
I want to take a look at some specific cards that really called out to be examined (really they all do, but I choose a few). These are just some of my takes and impressions.
The Magician – I love this portrayal of the Magician as a sketchy guy offering “Tourist Information.”
I used to live in a tourist town and this was a thing. Guys like this stood around looking for tourists to “help.” This is so fitting with our image of the magician as being a master of sleight of hand, never sure if he is there to help us or take advantage.
The Devil is portrayed as a love of screens and the screen loving you back. This symbiotic relationship can become a real trap to an unsuspecting human. Devils come in many forms, and usually we don't see them for what they are, sometimes ever.
The Fool, red riding Hood and her spray cans of paint. Maybe she represents the spirit of the graffiti artist, doing what she must no matter what.
This 2 of Buckets (Hearts) again we see the obsession with screens. I see something about the way that even when people are together they are still individuals. You never give that up.
This image really demonstrates Banksy’s sense of humour. He’s not making fun of these people or judging them. Just noting the state of things.
8 of Spray Cans (Swords) we get this image of being trapped. Here again Shilo has so perfectly selected the image to best represent the sense of this card.
3 of Spray Cans has a bat smashing into a heart shaped hole in the wall revealing the rebar beneath the concrete. The quote from Banksy Shilo chose for this card is,
That really cuts to the heart of the 3 of swords, doesn’t it?“I feel sick when I remember how I opened up to you.”
Reading with this deck draws upon a whole different side of me as a reader, of my connection to cards and symbols. I feel a natural connection to it, like talking to a new friend that I have so much in common with it’s like talking to an old friend, and like time (old/new) is just irrelevant.
The Banksy Tarot has a LOT to say and it says it. But rather than talk at me, it seems to pull the words out of me the way a patient but honest and fun friend might give just enough to work with for you to come up with your own answers.
