“The Somnia Tarot“ - 78 Image Photography Series - by Nicolas Bruno

I’ve recreated the entirety of The Tarot in my own style and interpretation through photography, sculpture, and costume design. I started this project in the beginning of the pandemic to keep myself motivated and creating in uncertain times. I studied the meanings behind the classic Rider Waite Tarot deck, along with the Jungian analysis of each card to uncover archetypes and symbolism. I combined these meanings with the accounts from my dream journals, where I document my experiences with Sleep Paralysis. I tell the story of the Tarot through the characters and symbols within my dream journal recordings. I began sketching the series for a month straight. This allowed me to pinpoint my ideas and figure out what props/costumes/characters I needed to create for the photoshoots. I then accumulated my materials and started fabricating. I started shooting in early March 2020, and finished shooting in November 2020. Everything that you see within the images happened in front of my camera. All of the male characters within the series are self portraits, and the female characters are family and close friends. This was one of the most challenging projects that I’ve ever done. You can order a copy of The Somnia Tarot Card Deck here: My solo exhibition of this body of work showcases all 78 images in limited edition print format. The exhibition is being held at Haven Gallery, NY. Here’s a link to the full collection: “The Somnia Tarot Theme“ was composed by my extremely talented friend Richard Orofino, a musician with incredible talent. You can follow him on Instagram: @richardorofino and his Spotify: You can view my Sleep Paralysis photo series on my website: And my handmade jewelry collection: *****The horses within the series are sculptures and are not real horses.