Mordant Arcana Tarot

The Mordant Arcana Tarot is a collaboration between Strega Wolf Eden van den Berg and Tessa Winters, presented by the international co-op Bogfolk. This deck offers a distinctive black-and-white aesthetic, utilizing strong contrasts and minimalist designs to reinterpret traditional tarot imagery. The campaign successfully funded in 2025, indicating community interest in its unique visual approach.

The deck's imagery, as seen in the provided examples, leans into a darker, more abstract interpretation of the Major Arcana. Cards like The Tower, The Devil, and The Star are depicted with stark, often unsettling, yet thought-provoking visuals. This style is intended to provide a fresh perspective on familiar archetypes, inviting deeper introspection rather than literal interpretation. The accompanying booklet is designed to guide readers through these interpretations, making the deck accessible despite its unconventional art style.

Bogfolk, the collective behind the deck, emphasizes thoughtful and sustainable creation, fair pay for artists, and a commitment to kindness and empathy. This ethos suggests that the Mordant Arcana Tarot is not just an artistic project but also a statement on ethical production within the creative community. The deck is positioned as a tool for those who dare to defy, aligning art and work with political and social consciousness.

The artwork is characterized by a stark black-and-white palette, utilizing high contrast and clean lines to create a minimalist yet impactful visual style. The illustrations are primarily digital, with a graphic novel or woodcut aesthetic that emphasizes silhouettes, strong outlines, and negative space. For example, The Tower depicts a lighthouse being struck by lightning, rendered with bold, simplified shapes. The Devil card features a figure with an exploding head, conveying chaos and internal struggle through abstract forms. The Star shows a ghostly, ethereal figure against a dark background. The overall mood is dark, mysterious, and somewhat unsettling, offering a modern, gothic interpretation of tarot archetypes.

This deck is ideal for experienced tarot readers and collectors who appreciate dark, minimalist, and abstract art styles. It will appeal to those seeking a deck with a strong, cohesive aesthetic that encourages intuitive interpretation rather than relying on traditional RWS symbolism. Readers interested in exploring the shadow aspects of the tarot or those who resonate with a gothic or contemporary art vibe will find this deck particularly engaging.

Bogfolk is an international co-op dedicated to creating tabletop RPG content and fostering a supportive creative space. Their mission is to enable artists to make art and earn a fair living, emphasizing thoughtful, sustainable, kind, and empathetic work practices. They believe that art and work are inherently political, and their projects, like the Mordant Arcana Tarot, reflect a desire to defy conventional norms and promote ethical collaboration.