Professor Jennifer Fisher from York University’s School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD), in collaboration with co-curator Jim Drobnick, recently opened a new exhibition titled Artists’ Tarot and the Archive at the Archives of Ontario.
Running from Oct. 28, 2024, to March 31, 2025, the exhibition features 15 Canadian and international artists: Kim Abeles, Lisa Anne Auerbach, Nin Brudermann, Jo Cosme, Shawna Dempsey, Lorri Millan, Ron Ewenin-Wapemoose, Brenda Fajardo, Lee Henderson, Mimi Khúc, Dogon Krigga, Jack Niven, Tomás Saraceno, Suzanne Treister and John Walter.
This exhibit draws fascinating connections between tarot, a centuries-old system of divination, and the archival process. Tarot decks, which date back to the 14th century, emerged as a tool for divination in 1788 – coincidentally, around the same time modern archives were first established during the French Revolution.
“As disparate as the tarot and archive may seem – the former assembles cards to prompt intuition, while the latter organizes documents for preservation – both operate as epistemological resources,” says Fisher.
Artists’ Tarot and the Archive is an opportunity to witness how artists reimagine both tarot and the archive as dynamic spaces for storytelling and knowledge production.
Visiting the exhibition
Location: Archives of Ontario’s Reading Room at 134 Ian Macdonald Blvd., Toronto
Dates: Oct. 28, 2024, to March 31, 2025
Visiting hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
For more information about the Artists’ Tarot and Archive exhibit, visit archives.gov.on.ca/en/events/tarot_archives.aspx.