Knight of Swords

Artist: Sarah Pavey

In light of recent statements by the German far-right Alternative für Deutschland party that the Bauhaus movement led Modernism in the “wrong direction” it seemed appropriate to utilize Bauhaus art to communicate the passionate meanings behind tarot cards. The divinatory meanings listed in the Pamela Colman Smith deck includes bravery, capacity, and defense - attributes of a knight, but also destruction. These qualities of knighthood are also qualities of art, as the nature of art is to destroy and reconstruct. Here, I depict Marianne Brandt in a collage using a picture of her wearing her own metal work like armor. A lot of the women in Bauhaus did textile work, but Brandt rejected the traditionally female materials and was the first woman to join the metal workshop. She is in effect championing her choice of material. Red Tarot asks, “How could you create yourself?” (260). Brandt creates herself by disrupting the narrative of masculine and gendered art. By “wielding the word” (260) or in this case a traditionally masculine art form, Brandt as the Knight of Swords asks us what we are communicating about ourselves.