Counterspeculative Constellations: A card deck for reading into the use of Tarot and astrology in queer-feminist artistic practice

Astrology and Tarot are trending in some queer-feminist circles, which is also reflected in the art world. However, their use raises ethical and political questions, for instance: when is white artists’ use of magic neo-colonial or appropriative? Why does the political right also use esoteric magic for their propaganda? How is magic in artistic practice affected by the profit-driven boom of astrology apps and digital Tarot services? Based on Tarot, I created a card deck with interpretive texts questioning the use of magic in art called Counterspeculative Constellations. The reader pulls cards to create a constellation of critical concepts in an intuitive, serendipitous and ritualistic way. This article looks at some of the curatorial aims of the use of magic in art and how they can sometimes fall into a trap of ‘cruel optimism’. I then share some ideas of how critical analysis might be brought to magical practice, and how the powers of magic can be used to deepen critical discourse.