Vittoria Benzine, Elephant‘s resident psychic, returns to read the art world’s tarot for the month ahead. What came true from her last reading? And what new revelations do the cards hold for the industry’s strange, ever-elusive psyche as it spirals toward another uncertain season?
Since we last spoke, The Armory Show and Frieze Seoul have opened and closed in New York City and South Korea respectively, concluding the art world’s dog days of summer and validating my suspicion that last month’s “animal art” premonition had something to do with fair trends!
Meanwhile, I have started recording predictions on the fly. On August 17, the notion that Larry Gagosian’s lost child might surface started haunting me, though I grappled with the ethics of publishing such a claim. The next day, Jeff Koons separately came to mind. Then, the very next week, their reunion made headlines. Looking back, the whole chain of events illustrates my third eye’s convoluted attempts to forewarn me of the news. Let me explain…
Back when I used to hang out with friends of Jeff Koons, I heard a lot of stories about the divisive artist, like how he supposedly used to point women out from afar and ask his friends whether they thought they were prouder of their tits or their ass. That particular tale pushed me over the edge. “Why does this guy get to be famous?” I asked the guy who shared the anecdote, and was told, in turn, why Koons wants to be famous: to spite his college girlfriend’s parents.
Koons has shared part of this story himself. He once told the New Yorker that he got famous so his own lost child, put up for adoption after he knocked up his college girlfriend, could find him. But, as the story was told to me, Koons actually vowed to become famous because that girlfriend’s rich parents objected to their marriage, because Koons came from meagre means. Anyway, do you see what I mean? This is the strange language clairvoyance speaks — it can only work with whatever’s in your subconscious, and this story is hardcore lodged in mine. I heard “Larry Gagosian lost child” but didn’t realise it meant “Gagosian and the lost child guy.” For what it’s worth, I believe art has the capacity to help us learn this language.
The Koons insight manifested itself well ahead of this column. I realised I should be more specific when approaching my cards. So, this month, I pulled one card from my Holly Simple deck for each of the next four weeks, then two more from my miniature Rider Waite deck to offer clarifications.
According to the results, the Queen of Pentacles will define this week. This is fantastic news! The Queens embody the divine feminine energy of their suit — this one’s about savouring material comforts. For emphasis, spirit offered the Nine of Pentacles — you will perhaps recall from last month that she’s the rich bitch card — alongside the Five of Wands reversed (which you’ll also recall means setting petty shit aside). I immediately realised this is the week of the Pauline Karpidas sale at Sotheby’s. These cards seem to bode well…
September 22 through 28 will have more of a Hermit feel. The Empress adds a cosy complement to this card, since she’s all about the interior — tending to the home and one’s inner, creative life. But the Three of Pentacles is a decidedly social card, all about collaboration. And yet — look at that synergy, the way the two lines that The Hermit is perched atop perfectly extend out to the Rider Waite cards! Note that the Three on the Three of Pentacles, multiplied by the Empress (the major arcana’s third card), makes nine, and that The Hermit is indeed the ninth card of the majors! This message is no accident either. Real Gs will be moving in silence — and harmony — this week.
September 29 through October 5 looks like it will be a more challenging week for the art world. The Four of Pentacles reversed is technically preferable to its upright iteration — rather than holding onto a scarcity mindset with white knuckles, we’re learning to maintain a light, graceful grip. Alas, letting go can be uncomfortable if you’re not ready, and it doesn’t look like the art world is, considering the Four of Pentacles is supported by the Page of Cups reversed (emotional immaturity) and the Seven of Cups (confusion). Remember, abundance has to start in the heart.
October 6 through 12 offers a return to gentler vibes. The Queen of Cups is just about the nicest, most nurturing lady you could meet, and the Queen of Wands beneath her is a veritable Prom Queen. Yeah, it would be fun if The Chariot were upright, but sometimes it’s even better to stop and smell the roses with the girls.. By the way, did you notice that we have almost every one of the queens out, including the grand-daddy of all queens, the Empress? All we’re missing is the Queen of Swords, a.k.a. the cutoff legend — the most masculine of the four. Art will be leaning into its feminine energy this month, for sure.
I also flipped over each deck to include a quick “as above, so below” overview. Outwardly, the art world is giving Seven of Wands reversed. Upright, this signifies self-defence. Upside down, it’s like letting go and letting God. Behind the scenes, art’s feeling very “Hanged Man” — a somewhat similar energy of pensive pause. The appearance of a passing minor arcana energy is only the tip of the major arcana iceberg. Once again, this is not a quick recalibration, but a long-term one.
I’ll leave you with my answers to some audience questions I received this past month. One querent wanted to know whether Charlotte Lindemann and Lucas Zwirner will survive their first year of marriage. There’s a 1.3 per cent chance of pulling any given card from a tarot deck, and I pulled The Lovers — reversed! Maybe they’ll make it, but it looks rocky. For clarification, I pulled the Nine of Pentacles reversed, and the Ace of Pentacles upright. I mean, that’s the Ten of Pentacles broken up in such a manner that one energy’s abundance is being subdued, and another’s starting fresh.
Someone else wanted to know how November’s buzzy Weis family sale will shape up. Check this out — we have a daddy on top, with mommy and child below. Robert and Patricia Weis’s lone son, in fact, runs the family business. Compare the tyrannical King of Wands reversed with the affluent Queen of Pentacles upright — I’m not sure this auction is going to be as successful as Karpidas’s. The whole family’s upside down, in fact. I wonder what circumstances truly brought this collection to sale, and whether they would energetically affect its performance. We shall see.
An artist also asked, “Is there anywhere we should be looking for direction? Everything feels so murky right now.” The other two times I pulled cards for these questions, I kept my eyes closed while shuffling and selecting from both decks. But this last time, I opened my eyes as I was pulling the clarifiers. My heart sank when I saw the Ten of Pentacles reversed out alone (how would I even interpret that?), then soared as I flipped over the Ten of Cups, which offered a clear message. Fuck windfall, follow your heart. Yes, the rumours are true — this is the way, all the riches in the world won’t make your college girlfriend’s parents love you. The Chariot says, “Go!”
