When graphic designer Michael Eaton contacted musician King Khan he was gifted a very special commission: “I had been a huge fan of his music for years and it just so happened he was thinking of making this Tarot deck so it was appropriate timing”.
King Khan is well-versed in tarot and had studied it for a long time. As Eaton recalls: “The deck was all King Khan’s vision so I would offer up designs until they were correct. They are closely matched to the positioning/colours of the real deck to allow them to be fully functional but also has its own style”.
The aim of the deck was to add a ‘surrealistic mythos to American history’, to add in powerful people who could imbue the deck with spiritual inspiration. Each person is attached to a figure of the major acana, Tina Turner is depicted as ‘Strength’ and TuPac, poignantly, as ‘Hanged Man’. King Khan chose each person with specific intent, which he had been working on for many years before the designs were commissioned. They’re “just very happy and amazed that the cards are out there and people are using them”.
King Khan is a Canadian musician/producer/artist/writer. He is best known as the frontman of King Khan and the Shrines and for being one half of The King Khan & BBQ Show.
Michael Eaton is a Belfast-based graphic designer for film and TV.
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