City Mystic • Paris

The City Mystic • Paris is a 78-card tarot deck composed entirely of original black and white architectural and street photography from Paris, France. Artist Virginia Jester captured these images during an intensive 8-day trip in May/June 2015, specifically for this project. The deck is the second in Jester's City Mystic series, following City Mystic • New York, and was conceived as a passion project inspired by her first visit to Paris in 2009.

Jester's vision for the City Mystic project is to explore iconic Western cities through the lens of occult and Hermetic symbolism, connecting urban environments to deeper meanings. Paris, in particular, is highlighted for its historical ties to Alchemy during the Renaissance, a period crucial to the development of Tarot as a divinatory tool. The deck aims to capture the "filthy with ripe life" essence of Paris, including not just its monumental beauty but also its graffiti, human struggles, and transient street art.

Each card is printed on 130# gloss cover paper with UV coating and measures 2.75″ x 4.75″. The deck comes in a 15pt heavy paper box and includes a descriptive companion book that delves into Paris's architectural history and contemporary occult tarot as interpreted through the deck's imagery. The project successfully funded on Kickstarter, raising $11,735 from 133 backers, demonstrating a strong interest in its unique photographic and urban-themed approach to tarot.

This deck is ideal for tarot readers who appreciate urban photography, especially those with an affinity for Paris and its unique atmosphere. It will appeal to collectors interested in themed decks that blend art and divination, particularly those who enjoy black and white aesthetics and a more grounded, observational approach to tarot imagery. Readers who prefer a deck that encourages intuitive interpretation based on real-world scenes, rather than traditional symbolic illustrations, will find this deck engaging. It's also suitable for those interested in the historical and occult connections of cities.

Virginia Jester's journey with the City Mystic project began after her first visit to Paris in 2009, sparking a desire to create a black and white photographic tarot deck based on the city. This ambition expanded into a larger vision to create decks for several iconic cities, including New York, London, Tokyo, and Prague. The Paris deck, her "greatest passion project," was particularly challenging to create, involving passport issues and a trip undertaken amidst a personal breakup and financial difficulties. Jester, a photographer with roots in darkroom techniques, even brought 35mm film to capture some of the images, aiming to infuse the deck with a unique "magick" from her craft.