The Big Deal
In ‘Patia Te Pere - The Big Deal’, Joan Gragg presents a first edition series of 1000 decks in which the characters, themes and patterns from traditional playing cards are replaced by Cook Islands cultural, environmental and societal icons.
Patia Te Pere - The Big Deal
Depicting daily life within a contemporary pacific society...
For 32 years, Cook Island artist Joan Gragg has painted daily life in the Cook Islands.
In Patia Te Pere - The Big Deal, Joan re-presents her narrative within a first edition series of 1000 decks of playing cards in which the characters, themes and patterns from traditional playing cards are replaced by Cook Islands cultural, environmental and societal images.
The cards depict the unique social attributes on daily display within a contemporary3pacific society.
While it is obvious to reference the popular local card game of Uka, a flamboyant, effusive performance more often supplemented by raucous laughter, drinks, ei katu and cigarettes, Joan's choice of artistic delivery (the cards) offers a poignant comment on the transposable and economic nature of culture itself.
With the Cook Islands Tourism increasingly recognising the commodity value of culture within its international marketing, Joan has created an affordable tourist souvenir for re-export and constant destination advertising wherever the cards may travel.
A discourse on the Sino-Pacific relationship and how it can fuel pacific tourism awareness and preserve local identity ensues. Also brought into question is the debate on culturally specific products, their manufacture, supplication and inherent market perception.
Packs are available directly from Joan Gragg at $NZ 45.00/deck plus postage.
The inspiration for the cards came from a deck of cards given to me ten years ago called The Deck of Cards by Andrew Jones Art. Cards drawn by 56 British artists. Our family enjoyed them because they were challenging and really made you think as to what each card was but also made them difficult to use as playing cards.
Card playing in the Islands is very popular. In 2010 I decided to paint a deck of cards about the Cook Islands. I used elements from my previous work which focuses on recording impressions and every day humorous events that are taken for granted in the Islands.
My deck of fifty four original paintings addresses some of the issues that made The Deck of Cards difficult to use when playing card games and especially Cook Islands euchre which is fast and rowdy. I have tried to incorporate into my deck elements like surprise, the twist on a subject, amusement, originality, intrigue, and fun. The four suits gave me a chance to paint four pictures of the same subject while the thirteen cards in each suit gave me the opportunity to also paint thirteen different subjects. Plus the joker.
The medium of water soluble crayons that I had bought in Auckland and loved because of their bright colour fitted my purposes perfectly. I worked in small format; 6 x 8.5 inches and restricted the colour for each suit using red for hearts, yellow orange for diamonds, blue for clubs and green for spades, further challenging my imagination and making it easy to identify the suits. I did at one time think it would be fun to not put any notation on the cards but card players insist on large lettering. I must admit we need the notation for euchre. The cards are printed in China.
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
Related Articles
Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds
A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Joker
A limited edition art print of the 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Queen of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Scenic Views of Australia
54 different scenic views of Australia in full colour.
Costume Playing Cards
Four centuries of costumes from the Costume Court at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Monuments de Paris
‘Monuments de Paris’ souvenir playing cards produced by Heraclio Fournier, c.1964.
Baraja de Alava
55 different paintings by Emilio Lope depicting the history and culture of Vitoria and the province ...
Impressionist Art Cards
Details of 13 paintings by 8 different Impressionist artists on elongated cards.
Borna Skat
Publicity pack for the Saxon town of Borna, with designs by Andreas Wachter.
Marlow playing cards
Visitor attractions and businesses to be found in Marlow, Buckinghamshire.
Swiss Scenic Tarock
Scenic Tarock deck produced by Fabrique de Cartes J. Müller & Cie (Schaffhouse), Suisse.
Papyrus Playing Cards
Papyrus playing cards distributed by Egypt Trade, c.1996.
British Columbia Souvenir
British Columbia Souvenir Playing Cards by The Clarke and Stuart Company
American President Lines
American President Lines shipping souvenir playing cards, early to mid-1950s.
Official World’s Fair Souvenir, USA, 1964-6
Official souvenir pack showing 52 coloured exhibits from the New York World’s Fair, 1964-6.
Century of Progress
‘Century of Progress’ Exposition playing cards produced by Western Playing Card Company, USA, 1933. ...
Schweden Spielkarten
54 different souvenir views of famous people and places in Sweden.
Souvenir Playing Cards from Lebanon
Multicoloured Belgian/Genoese pattern cards, probably printed by Fournier for Lebanon.
New York City souvenir
New York City souvenir playing cards with 53 different views of interest, USA, 1915.
Nation’s capital souvenir playing cards
Nation’s capital souvenir playing cards published by the United States Playing Card Company, USA, 19...
Kyoto Souvenir Deck
Kyoto Souvenir playing cards by Nintendo aimed at the up and coming tourist industry, 1950s.
California souvenir playing cards
California souvenir playing cards, USA, 1898 and 1907.
Shamrock Irish Heritage playing cards
A celebration of some of Ireland’s most famous patriots, politicians and poets.
Henley-on-Thames playing cards
Calendar events and visitor attractions to be found in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.
Souvenir Playing Cards of Egypt
55 different photographic views of Egypt in full colour.
Kushimoto Marine Park
Kushimoto Marine Park souvenir playing cards published by Nintendo, Japan.
Alaska scenic playing cards
Alaska scenic playing cards featuring scenes of Alaskan life, USA, c. 1960.
Glorious Scotland
54 photographic views of Scotland by Duncan I. McEwan.
Vues et Caractères Suisses No.228
A Swiss souvenir pack by Dondorf
Presidential playing cards
Presidential playing cards with portraits from Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, USA.
Budapest souvenir
Colour views of the Hungarian capital, Budapest, on all the courts and Aces.
Pan-American Exposition Souvenir
Pan-American Exposition Souvenir Playing Cards, Buffalo, NY, 1901.
Le Jeu d’Issy
Bold designs by Jacques Auriac representing people and enterprises for which the town of Issy-les-Mo...
Amusements and Attractions
‘Amusements and Attractions’ playing cards showing the fun and excitement of America’s amusement par...
Das Tübinger Skatspiel
Pack devised by Volker Scheub depicting characters associated with the city of Tübingen.
Conseil Général de la Somme
Famous people and places of the Somme department in northern France, with designs by James Hodges.
El Desnudo en el Arte
The Nude in Art / El Desnudo en el Arte, Spain, 1977 (reprint 1990)
Naipes Expo ’92
Naipes Expo ’92 souvenir playing cards manufactured by Naipes Comas, 1992.
Museo del Prado
Museo del Prado: Pintores y familias reales / Painters and royal families playing cards.
Gaudí playing cards
Gaudí playing cards with photography by Ramon Manent, Spain, 2002.
Ases de la pintura / Masters of painting
Ases de la pintura / Masters of painting playing cards made by Naipes Comas, Spain, c.1990.
Art Genius playing cards
Art Genius playing cards with illustrations by Rebecca Clarke and published by Laurence King Publish...
Scarfes Bar playing cards
‘Scarfes Bar’ satirical playing cards with cartoons by Gerald Scarfe, United Kingdom.