International Tarot Award: Lifetime Achievement Award

[Rosanne]

great idea- but it is a bit short on women.
If authors where is
Amber Jayanti
Naomi Ozaniec
Cynthia Giles
if the dead are to be considered
where is
Lady Freida Harris
Pamela Colman Smith
or if publishers where is
Karen Mahony
and where is Kaplan to be fair.
A lifetime Achievement Award is about a lifetime- how about dropping the 'lifetime'? Otherwise it is like writing your memoirs at 21.~Rosanne

 

[euripides]

Regarding women: without diverting the discussion into a debate on feminism, the reality, for so many of us, is that children and domestic duties take so much of the time that might otherwise be devoted to tarot. Also, as you've noted, many women don't seek a authoritative, academic route for their involvement, but rather a more quiet, networking role that doesn't thrust them into the limelight.

edited: mentioned Rachael Pollack but see she is already on the list.

 

[le pendu]

and where is Kaplan to be fair.
A lifetime Achievement Award is about a lifetime- how about dropping the 'lifetime'? Otherwise it is like writing your memoirs at 21.~Rosanne

Past Recipients
Eden Gray - 1997 (ITS)
Stuart Kaplan - 1999 (ITS)
K. Frank Jensen - 2001 (ITS)

---

As to the Lifetime Achievement, I think that's the spirit of the award.

 

[Sophie]

I think the list is overly slanted towards history. I love history, but tarot is a lot more.

I personally would like to see at least some names connected with "tarot and Jung" studies - many of whom are women, I believe. They have made valuable contributions to a certain way of reading and understanding the tarot.

The names I can think of are: Sallie Nichols, Karen Hamaker-Zondag and Robert Wang, who has also contributed a lot on the Qabbalistic Tarot, of course, and so deserves recognition for many reasons. These are just suggestions, of course.

I agree with Mary - it is paradoxical that the field should be dominated by women, but the list by men. I think this might be because the list is, as I wrote above, slanted towards history and most tarot historians are men.

If it is widened to include those who have made studies into the Qabbalistic tarot, Jungian tarot, the practical applications of tarot, tarot and magic, general introduction to reading tarot, as well as tarot artists, then you will find more gender balance.

 

[Rosanne]

Past Recipients
Eden Gray - 1997 (ITS)
Stuart Kaplan - 1999 (ITS)
K. Frank Jensen - 2001 (ITS)
As to the Lifetime Achievement, I think that's the spirit of the award.

So you get the award for your lifetime? I guess thats better than an annual rumble.
Thanks for the list of previous recipients.
Can the list have their feild included?
Then we can see the direction ~Rosanne

 

[jmd]

Please remember that the webpage is not this thread, but rather:

http://association.tarotstudies.org/award.html

So the other suggestions of merit, together with those on the above list are (including another mentioned not on this thread):

Women nominees:

Mary Greer
Rachel Pollack
Joan Bunning
Christine Payne-Towler
Amber Jayanti
Naomi Ozaniec
Cynthia Giles
Karen Mahony
Sallie Nichols
Karen Hamaker-Zondag

Men nominees:

Robert Wang
Giordano Berti
Alain Bocher
Ronald Decker
Thierry Depaulis
Michael Dummett
Jean-Claude Flornoy
Alejandro Jodorowsky
John McLeod
Osvaldo Menegazzi
Riccardo Minetti
Robert O'Neill
Luigi Scapini
Andrea Vitali

Is this correct?

The original list was not so much, I think, historically biased, but rather possibly biased in two ways: authors (rather than artists or deck creators - though it DID include a deck creator), and of these, towards those who have probably been the most frequently referred to by other authors or deck creators; and on the other hand towards those who have written material since at least the late 1970s or early 1980s.

By the way, instead of me adding another to the list each time... perhaps we should also discuss how to shorten the list.

 

[sweet_intuition]

Men nominees:

Robert Wang
Giordano Berti
Alain Bocher
Ronald Decker
Thierry Depaulis
Michael Dummett
Jean-Claude Flornoy
Alejandro Jodorowsky
John McLeod
Osvaldo Menegazzi
Riccardo Minetti
Robert O'Neill
Luigi Scapini
Andrea Vitali

What about Lon Milo DuQuette???

 

[Lurea]

Perhaps you might need an intermediate "semifinals" vote to narrow the field further. You could ask voters to choose their favorite, or perhaps their top five.

I have to agree about the original gender disparity--whatever the (logical) reasons for why it came about, it's disturbing to see. And are deceased candidates permitted or not? Recently deceased? Just how far back will you go? It might be better if a certain number of years were specified (10, 25, etc.) because otherwise why should we leave out Pixie Smith or Lady Frieda Harris?

BTW--very laudable goal to officially recognize some of Tarot's shining lights! Brava! An awards ceremony can be very difficult to moderate and run (all the egos, LOL) so kudos for attempting it

 

[le pendu]

Some personal thoughts here...

I do tend to agree with Fudugazi that the list is oriented to tarot history; knowing that jmd and the Association for Tarot Studies tend to be historically oriented, I'm not surprised.

I assume jmd started this thread to seek input for additional nominations of, and personal opinions of, important contributers who, through their life's work, have dramatically improved our understanding/appreciation of Tarot.

I commend jmd and the ATS for opening up the discussion and seeking this feedback, but ultimately, this is not an Aeclectic award. This is an opportunity to communicate with the ATS members who are continuing a tradition of recognizing outstanding contributions to Tarot.

There are many names on the list that I feel have significantly contributed to Tarot:

Ronald Decker
Thierry Depaulis
Michael Dummett
The contributions of these three authors has changed our understanding of the history of tarot. Their books together, and solitary contributions, have set the standard for our understanding of Tarot History and Iconography.

Jean-Claude Flornoy
For his contributions to the exploration of Tarot History, but most specifically for his artistic craftsmanship recreating decks, using modern and antique methods, from the 1600s and 1700s.

Mary Greer
Rachel Pollack
For their books and workshops which introduce so many people to tarot, and further educate all levels of study. As I mentioned earlier, I think Mary's contributions to documenting the history of divination with Tarot is also very important.

Osvaldo Menegazzi
For his contributions with the Il Meneghello series of decks. This series of reproductions set the highest standard of quality.

Robert O'Neill
His book "Tarot Symbolism", and contributions to Tarot.com's library, are foundational for the study of Tarot symbolism.

Andrea Vitali
For his landmark work on the Bologna, and his contributions to catalogs and exhibitions for tarot.

--

But even with this list, there are several names that I feel have contributed so universally, that I could narrow it down to 3 or 4.

When adding new names to the list, I have to compare them to the names already present. If anything, I'm having a hard time narrowing it down once I reach that top 3 or 4.

For me, that short list would include Michael Dummett, Mary Greer, Robert O'Neill, and Rachel Pollack.

 

[Moonbow]

I think this is a wonderful opportunity for us to have our say, and appreciate the opportunity to do so, as I'm sure we all do. so thank you jmd.

Opening this up to an international community is likely to open up the nominees further though. But then, I wonder what criteria there is for being a nominee.

I remember a Postman being given and OBE for his outstanding service to the British Empire... he had worked as a postman since leaving school at 15 and was retiring. Ordinary people who give their life and time to one cause, and I can think of more then a few people who would fit this bill in the world of Tarot. I think I would like it defined as to whether these nominees have to have achieved something at an international level, or whether the nominations are international because they are open to anyone, anywhere.

Although I have at least 'heard' of most of the names in the list, it seems that we would be voting here and now, on the books we have read, the decks we use, the subjects we research.

The achievements of Decker, Depaulis and Dummett (for example) may not be known to some of the Tarot world who haven't read their books... because some are not interesting the history so much as the using of Tarot. Personally I would also have to consider which have made Tarot more accessible to the majority and not just those that have researched it.