THE LOWBROW TAROT PROJECT

12: The Hanged Man

The Hanged Man is one of the most mysterious cards in the tarot deck. It is simple, but complex. It attracts, but also disturbs. It contradicts itself in countless ways. The Hanged Man is unsettling because it symbolizes the action of paradox in our lives. A paradox is something that appears contradictory, and yet is true. The Hanged Man presents to us certain truths, but they are hidden in their opposites. The main lesson of the Hanged Man is that we "control" by letting go - we "win" by surrendering. The Hanged Man reminds us that the best approach to a problem is not always the most obvious. When we most want to force our will on someone, that is when we should release. When we most want to have our own way, that is when we should sacrifice. When we most want to act, that is when we should wait. The irony is that by making these contradictory moves, we find what we are looking for.

Within the first grade of school David Stoupakis was found to have a severe learning disability and his Doctors informed that he would develop more on the artistic side and that he may have the ability to become a great artist. So when the talents in David truly started to shine, his parents were proud and very supportive. His newfound artistic ability concerned his teachers, however, and on several occasions David' s "gloomy" drawings were the subject at parent-teacher meetings. A few years later a rogue art teacher entered David' s life, encouraging him to open his mind and driving him to experiment. Within that year David made the choice to dedicate himself to his artwork. In 1992 David gave the Art Institute of Boston a one year try and quickly found that being schooled was not for him. In 1993 he began his road of self-development and around 1995 his first painting sold. By 1996 David was working as a contract 2 D / 3D Animator Artist for a game company. David left the gaming industry in 1999 and refocused on painting full time. That year he also met his companion Aprella, and the two became muses for each other. David lives and works in New York with Aprella and their lovely rescued cat. He continues his dedication to painting and his remarkable works continue to grow.