THE LOWBROW TAROT PROJECT

1: The Magician

The figure in the robe of The Magician has the face of the great mystic Aleister Crowley. His confident smile and shining eyes channel the sun god, Apollo, as his intense gaze reminisces Beethoven. Above his head is the mysterious sign of the Holy Spirit, the sign of life, like an endless cord, forming the lemniscate of infinity. His hat is a cracked halo, and the blood warns of the dangers of mystical pursuits and the inherent madness that accompanies unfulfillment. Upon his table are the four suits of the Tarot deck signifying the classical elements of earth, air, fire and water. Their corresponding alchemical colors lie beneath. First is a serpent-cincture representing wands or batons. Opposite is the dagger or sword, reflecting the images of the remaining minor arcana between them. A levitating pentacle, or coin, exposes the roots of the magician as a charlatan. Illumnated beneath is the Holy Grail of Christ, but the cup is empty, so does this imply that false piety is a form of charlatanism as well? The newt, itself a symbol of regeneration, forms with its tail the image of the ouroboros (the serpent devouring its own tail). The ouroboros is an ancient symbol of eternity, eternal becoming, or transmutation and transformation, but in this case it indicates more especially the eternity of attainment in the spirit –especially the spirit that is absent in the empty vessel on the table. Previous, classic iconography depicted The Magician with one arm raised, and with a candle or wand in spell gesture; in this depiction, the all seeing Eye of Providence evokes divine immanence from within, suggesting that there is no need to search outside the self for enlightenment. Is there such a thing as magick without tears? The ability of the magician to bridge the gap between heaven and earth is embodied by the crown of thorns worn as a ring on his marriage finger. The stars are the flowers (or jewels) of the cosmos, and their motion implies an escape from the roots that connect them to the prime material plane ofs the table.

Christopher Ulrich is a painter of surreal iconographic images. He is influenced by the richness of ancient mythology, the mystery of alchemy, and the vastness of cosmic reality. Illuminating this dark journey with insight, heart and determination he strives to understand the unraveling revelation that reveals itself in the work. Ulrich has been the subject of a museum retrospective (Demoneater at Grand Central Art Center), has published a volume which details that work, and recently unveiled his Illuminator series, right here at La Luz de Jesus.