FESTUM “Art is Card”
A 55-card deck featuring original non-digital artwork by Doncho Donchev. On 21 canvases measuring 80x100 cm, Donchev has painted some of the greatest artists of all time in their characteristic style, using playing cards as a means of expression.
Playing cards constitute a very peculiar artistic medium that offers endless possibilities, limited only by the presence of repeated and distinguishing motifs and a rigid hierarchical structure. Each card is itself a microcosm of themes, ideas and feelings, where small inconsistencies in the double-headed images lead to different interpretations of the subject at hand. When packed together, cards tell a coherent story, and the artist's job is to create a compelling and visually satisfying narrative.
Each non-numeral card, as well as the image on the back, exists as an original work of art painted on canvas. The technique used is mixed, consisting mainly of acrylic, graphite, pencil and varnish. The face cards — Jacks, Kings, Queens and Jokers — depict some of the most prominent artists in history, from Rembrandt to Salvador Dali. One side of the double-headed image features a portrait of the artist, while the other replicates the same composition in the style for which the artist is best known.
The Cards
The Kings are four classical artists who have shaped the world of art: Leonardo da Vinci (King of Diamonds), Michelangelo Buonarotti (King of Hearts), Hieronymus Bosch (King of Spades) and Rembrandt (King of Clubs). They are all considered fundamental to the study and understanding of art.
The Queens are four well-known 20th century female artists: Frida Kahlo (Queen of Spades), Yayoi Kusama (Queen of Hearts), Georgia O'Keeffe (Queen of Clubs) and Tamara de Lempicka (Queen of Diamonds). They have all led a dramatic life, which did not stop them from leaving their mark on the world.
The Jacks are four prominent painters, pioneers of modernism: Vincent van Gogh (Jack of Clubs), Salvador Dali (Jack of Diamonds), Pablo Picasso (Jack of Hearts) and Marc Chagall (Jack of Spades).
The Aces feature works of art from different artistic periods, which initially seem to convey opposite ideas yet have many elements in common. The Ace of Diamonds juxtaposes the prehistoric Venus of Willendorf with Marcel Duchamp's “Fountain”, the Ace of Hearts pairs ancient Greek art with Banksy's “Girl with Balloon”, and the Ace of Spades contrasts Christian art with da Vinci's “Vitruvian Man”.
The Jokers portray artists with very idiosyncratic styles — Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Christo and Jeanne-Claude.
