Sonja Kobrehel - rovas signature

Sonja Kobrehel uses Szekely-Hungarian Rovas in her artwork as intellectual heritage from her grand-grandfather. The strength of the cultural roots.

Sonja Kobrehel – from Vajdaság (Vojvodina) to Canada

Rovás Infó opened a section to the articles dealing with the relation of Rovas culture and arts. There, not only the rich Rovás related art of the 20-th century is introduced but attention is paid to the articrafts of the contemporary artists as well. Rovas Info asked the Hungarian origin Canadian paintor, Sonja Kobrehel:

– Where did you get in touch with the Rovas culture and since when are you using it?

I can not say that I am a Rovas professional but for sure, the Rovas has been with me in a way or in another during my whole life. I was told that my grand-grandfather had been using the script itself and in our home I could always find some books about the national script. Therefore, my interest in Rovas was quite a natural fenomenon.

– In your pictures, there are sometimes Rovas characters, is there any concept behind the use of them?

I was always interested in scripts as signs, characters, lines or just visual elements. On many of my paintings you can see characters or just lines resembling to Latin or Rovas characters. However, I do not intend to send some written message through my paintings. Therefore, I usually avoide strings of characters with definite meaning, rather focus on the visual individuality of the signs.

– What is the reaction of the viewers of you paintings, especially in Canada, where they can see Rovas probably the first time in their life?

Part of the people like to browse my pictures and they can notice the Rovas characters. As I live in Canada, obviously not many of them know what they see, so due to their curiosity a new conversation starts often. I am happy and proud to explain our Rovas culture, as not many nations have such an ancient and still alive writing system.

– Do you use yourself the Rovas – for example as signature on your paintings?

Lately, I use mostly Rovas, when I sign on my pictures but it is not only a signature in its traditional meaning, rather an organic part of the painting. Here, I attach few pictures that can illustrate what do I mean but on my home page, there is more articraft incorporating the Rovas script.