Bēhance: Aboriginal Playing Cards by Kerstin Loop

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Bēhance: Aboriginal Playing Cards by Kerstin Loop

10 Nov

These Aboriginal playing cards (art project) were designed by the Australian artist, Kerstin Loop. They are dedicated to some typical life forms of Australia. Kerstin’s approach to small pips on number cards is really interesting. Different sizes and designs of these pips let achieve additional artistic effect.

© Kerstin Loop 2012

Aboriginal Playing Cards: The Ace of Spades

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Cockatoo is depicted on Queens. These are very popular birds in Australia. The 12 of the 21 cockatoo species exist in the wild only in Australia. Cockatoos were among the many Australian plants and animals which featured in decorative motifs in Federation architecture (the architectural style in Australia that was prevalent from around 1890 to 1915) of the early 20th century.

Aboriginal Playing Cards: Queen

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Echidna is depicted on Kings. They, sometimes known as spiny anteaters, belong to the family of egg-laying mammals. The echidnas are named after the “Mother of monsters” in Greek mythology, despite not resembling the mythological creature. They are the oldest surviving mammal on the planet today.

Koalas are Jacks of these playing cards. These nice creatures are native to Australia. Koalas were depicted by indigenous Australians in myths and cave art for millennia. The animal was hunted heavily in the early 20th century for its fur. So, Koalas are listed as of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They are a major draw for Australian zoos and wildlife parks.

Aboriginal Playing Cards: King and Jack

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Jokers are represented by Platypus and Tasmanian devil. Platypus is an egg-laying mammal endemic to eastern Australia. Indigenous Australians fondly believed the animal was a hybrid of a duck and a water rat. Now it is a recognizable and iconic symbol of Australia and the animal emblem of its state, New South Wales. Tasmanian devil is also an interesting specimen. Now it is found in the wild only on the Australian island state of Tasmania. Tasmanian devils became officially protected in 1941. The devil is an iconic symbol of Tasmania and many organizations, groups and products associated with the state.

Aboriginal Playing Cards: Jokers

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