Sareri Tarot -
tarot deck born from love for Armenia

Concept & Guidebook Author

I am an Armenian who was born and raised in Moscow. I don't speak Armenian very well, I have only a basic knowledge of my country's history, but I love it with all my heart. My love for Armenia is actually love for its people, their wisdom, fortitude, nobility, and our common roots.

For me, tarot is a language of images that helps me hear myself. The idea to create an Armenian deck came to me in 2022. I dreamed of this encounter — ancient history dating back thousands of years with the inner world of my contemporary. The goal was to combine them into a unique artifact in which the symbols of our ancestors could provide support, prompt reflection and help us realize our choices.

Sareri Tarot simultaneously preserves the memory of the past and helps make decisions in the present. This is by no means an attempt to impose mysticism; it is a cultural and artistic project. For some, it will become a tool for self-knowledge; for others, a collectible art object.

Karina and I put our hearts into this deck: every word in the booklet, every stroke in the drawings, is a tribute to those who came before us. I am truly happy about the birth of Sareri Tarot, my beloved child and my humble tribute to beautiful Armenia.

Artist

The deck has come a long way since it began in 2023. At that time, I was studying at art college, and my views as an artist were constantly changing. When the deck was almost complete, I realized that with my new skills and feelings, it no longer resonated with me. So the cards went through another round of editing, which I am very happy about. And now, three years later, we have a deck that feels very familiar.

Everything depicted on these cards are images that once resonated with me. Places and artifacts that I felt a connection to: ancient frescoes in Armenian churches, stones that preserve the memory of time, landscapes, and people.

The profiles and faces in the cards hold a special place for me. I have always loved rummaging through photo archives, whether it was my grandmother's album or archival photographs of Armenians from different eras. It is these faces, captured decades ago, that often appear in the deck. But they can also be anyone: strangers on the subway, as if they had stepped out of the pages of a book about Armenian myths; my sisters and brothers; my grandfather, who walks his dog every day and passes by me. If you look at people and see their beauty, each one becomes a story — and no two are alike.