JILL.DESIGN

JILL CORRAL

When Part of Your Exhibition Runs Away

When Part of Your Exhibition Runs Away

Or, here goes The Sun.

This week I have an exhibition of my LIMINOCITY photographic tarot on display in Shibuya, Tokyo. There are prints on the wall, and next to it I’d strapped together and attached the real physical card deck to the wall.

(I originally had a duplicate deck for this purpose, but my best friend from the US came to visit and I gave it to her as a gift. The decks aren’t easy to get printed so I couldn’t replace it in time for the show and used my own.)

Somehow the cards got out and the loose deck had been placed on my sales shelf
by my business cards — where visitors understandably then interpreted them to be for the taking. I came in the next day to find some cards gone, which initially crushed me. Even now I still haven’t assessed the total count, but most notably the Major Arcana was missing XIX. The Sun.

When I get back home, I will replace the missing cards with a ritual to welcome and integrate them — but the whole thing is almost too perfect…

The deck opened without me.

A deck about thresholds, movement,
and what cannot be held too tightly.

It broke free.

[And I have learned my lesson. It should only be held by me — or it will run.]

A few cards slipped out into the world.

The Sun among them…

the card of
visibility

life force

warmth

shared experience

left to live wild and free
in the land of the rising sun.

Cards that traveled from the Swiss forests to Tokyo streets now find their own adventure out the world.

And my deck and I will return next week to our forest, with new travel memories and scars to fuel our spirits.

p.s. You can pull a tarot card of your own at tarot.jill.photos.

Thank you as ever for joining me in art and a connected world.

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11 responses to “When Part of Your Exhibition Runs Away”

  1. George Appletree Avatar
    George Appletree

    Future is risky

    Reply
    1. JILL.PHOTOS Avatar
      JILL.PHOTOS

      I’ll take it! : )

      Reply
  2. James Avatar
    James

    I think nothing belongs entirely to us, and yet others believe that everything belongs to them…

    Reply
    1. JILL.PHOTOS Avatar
      JILL.PHOTOS

      Interestingly put. In this case I was pleased that people liked and wanted them, but distraught more at the how it came about.

      Reply
  3. George Slade Avatar
    George Slade

    Way to take a positive from a negative. Doesn’t that just kill you, though, when an exhibition gets “marred” like that? I run a gallery in my building and we’ve had custom hand-painted sneakers stolen (cut from a security cable, no less) and a photograph scraped by a passerby. Arrgh.

    Reply
    1. JILL.PHOTOS Avatar
      JILL.PHOTOS

      Thank you George for this kind comment and more. That’s incredibly cool you run a gallery in your building — wow. In this case I was pleased in theory that people liked and wanted them believing them to be freely offered, but distraught more at the how it came about (structural negligence). Your sneaker example is clearly malicious and heart-breaking. As to the negative to positive — this is how I am able to process and regain agency in such things, in situations big and small.

      Reply
  4. Juliette Mansour Avatar
    Juliette Mansour

    I’m so glad you were able to see this differently. I can imagine how you initially felt! But, yes… they have their own life, I suppose. Beautiful installation, Jill!

    Reply
    1. JILL.PHOTOS Avatar
      JILL.PHOTOS

      Thank you Juliette! I love your work and appreciate your kind words.

      Reply
      1. Juliette Mansour Avatar
        Juliette Mansour

        🙏

  5. Paul Votava Avatar
    Paul Votava

    turning it into poetry…priceless! Congratulations on your exhibition, your new edition (exciting), and being you!

    Reply
    1. JILL.PHOTOS Avatar
      JILL.PHOTOS

      Thank you dear Paul for the delightful comment! I take heart in it and appreciate the kind words as ever. 🙏🌸

      Reply

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