Rita Sabo’s art is a reminder. A reminder that we are all just guests in this world. The same applies to the Saboteur line SACRA, which has emerged from her artistic work. We met the artist for a chat on the occasion of the store opening in Munich.
FACES: What is the first childhood memory that describes who you are today?
Rita Sabo: I can’t think of a specific moment. I think who I am today is more a product of everything I’ve experienced, all the experiences I’ve had. Creativity has always been an important constant in my life. I feel like I’ve always drawn and even when I was young I was fascinated by geometric shapes – even if I didn’t know exactly what I was drawing. My mother supported and encouraged me from an early age, and I am grateful for that. I also traveled a lot as a child. All the impressions I gathered and the different cultures I was able to get to know still shape me and my work today.
FACES: You were born in the North Caucasus, grew up speaking three languages – Russian, German and Italian – and later moved to Switzerland with your family. Today you live in Vienna. How have these different stations shaped you?
Rita Sabo: I carry each of these places within me – and at the same time I don’t want to limit myself by belonging to a nationality. Rather, I see myself as a “person of this world”, as a cosmopolitan. Nevertheless, I have of course taken a lot with me from all these places. The different cultures, the people I got to know, the languages I heard and the environments I was able to experience had a strong impact on me – and still do today.
FACES: When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
Rita Sabo: I always knew that I wanted to be an artist and I was always strongly encouraged. Accordingly, I first attended art schools in Zurich and Basel. Then I switched to the Invers School of Design in Olten. As a result, art has been part of my life for a long time. Seven or eight years ago, I saw a documentary about sacred geometry that really moved me. It almost felt as if it had broken down existing boundaries in my head. In any case, it was clear to me from that moment on that I wanted to be an artist – and that sacred geometry should be a central component of my work.
FACES: Could you talk a little bit more about that?
Rita Sabo: Sacred geometry deals with all the secrets that are hidden behind visible, physical existence. The subject has been with me since I was very young – even back then I was fascinated by geometric shapes and drew them all the time. But without knowing what I was actually doing and how much meaning there was behind it. I only really realized this through this documentary. Or rather, it was the reason for me to get fully involved in the subject. I did a lot of research and came across symbology. Whether it’s about quoting symbols from ancient eras, other cultures or contexts, these symbols are very powerful.
“I always knew I wanted to be an artist”
FACES: How would you describe yourself as a creative?
Rita Sabo: I see myself as an artist of the new generation. My work tells of a search for spiritual experience and commitment – and a discourse with the subconscious. I have found my own signature and I am convinced that this style is one that has never been seen before. I transform mystical signs of the past into the present through my own interpretation; sacred geometry is also central. And the theme of nature. By consistently working with symbols, I have succeeded in developing my very own non-verbal language.
FACES: You have just mentioned the discourse with your own subconscious. This involves consistent introspection and listening to your own inner voice. How do you connect with this in a world that is often so loud?
Rita Sabo: This is an essential point for me because it gets to the heart of what I want to achieve with my pictures. We all live in such a fast-moving world – and the speed is only increasing due to digitalization. One example: In the past, if you wanted to understand something, you had to read a book about it. Today, you simply google it and have an answer to your question within a few seconds. So we only deal with many things in a very superficial way – and this superficiality can be applied to all facets of our lives. With my art, I try to achieve a return to our origins, a reminder of our ancestors and roots. That’s why I often work with symbols from the past, and DNA strands are also a motif that can often be found in my work. The connection to our own core is something that we collectively need to cultivate more. I myself do this primarily through my art. When I create a new work of art, I am also renewing myself to a certain extent and in doing so, I find the connection to myself and my core again and again. The more intuitively I work, the more natural and stronger this connection is. Time in nature, music and literature also help me with this connection. I think the older you get, the better you understand what you need to ground yourself – and at the same time be strongly connected to the cosmos. There is so much more beyond what we see. All of this is difficult to put into words, but through my pictures I can show a part of it.
FACES: How did you manage to find your own signature style?
Rita Sabo: That happened very spontaneously. By that I mean: I tried things out, I just did them. Of course, my art wasn’t what it is today right from the start, but through this process and also through feeling and acting according to my inner voice, my own language emerged step by step. For me, art is a way of expressing my feelings on canvas. When I work on a new piece, I don’t know everything from the start – on the contrary. Only during the process do I really understand what the core message of the artwork is supposed to be. My way of working is very intuitive; everything I do is the result of trial and error on the one hand and the strong will to express my thoughts on the other. Because there is so much of me and my inner self in my pictures, they also have such a strong recognition value.
FACES: How do you know a work is finished?
Rita Sabo: When I see his story. It’s almost like reading a book. The moment everything is right for me, I know it’s time to just put my signature under the work and finish it off.
“We need to be aware that everything we do and everything we consume has an impact on our environment”
FACES: The topic of sustainability is very important to you in your work. In your opinion, what significance does sustainability currently have in art and in the jewelry segment?
Rita Sabo: Sustainability really is a central component of my work – both in the context of art and with regard to my work for Saboteur. One example of my artistic approach is the exhibition “Sacred Planet by Rita Sabo for #Art4GlobalGoals”, which was on show at UNESCO headquarters in Paris in September 2023. I translated the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations into individual sculptures. Each of the sculptures, i.e. my “Sacred Planets”, is intended to motivate us to make conscious decisions that will have a positive impact on the environment and society as a collective. They are now being offered for sale for the first time and a portion of the proceeds will go to charity. In 2025, I am launching a new program in collaboration with the YOU Foundation that aims to provide education and skills development for mothers and marginalized learners in Community Learning Centers in Thailand. Sustainability and taking responsibility are really important to me. And I also share these values with Saboteur as a brand. We work with the highest quality materials and set the highest standards in the production process – here, of course, the brand benefits from my husband’s 40 years of expertise. We have to be aware that everything we do and everything we consume has an impact on our environment. And we need to protect it. We are all just guests on this planet.
FACES: You just mentioned Saboteur. What does the brand stand for for you?
Rita Sabo: For me, Saboteur is a brand of the 21st century that captures the current zeitgeist. Anyone and everyone can be a Saboteur, which is why inclusion is so important to us. And the aforementioned sustainability.
FACES: Saboteur is a “family business” in a way….
Rita Sabo: That’s right. The brand is a joint project between my husband Thomas Sabo, his son Santiago Sabo and myself. Saboteur started out as a jewelry brand, later the Fine Piercings line was added, which was Santiago’s idea. Expanded to include my husband’s masculine, rather raw elemental styles, SACRA is the latest addition that tells a story of femininity and passion. Sacred Planet appeared to me in a dream and I simply had to put it down on paper the next day on the plane. My husband was sitting next to me and was immediately impressed by the motif. For me, it is the three-dimensional manifestation of my artistic work – and the true heart of SACRA. This moment also marked the birth of the line and today Saboteur is a fusion of my husband’s, Santiago’s and my ideas. This collaboration between different generations is something very beautiful and enriching for me.
FACES: Mith SACRA 18K, you recently launched a new collection of 18-carat jewelry. Could you tell us more about it?
Rita Sabo: For this line, we work with striking geometric shapes and selected gemstones. The centerpiece is the Sacred Planet, which we have given a new look by using exclusive materials. Radiant yellow gold and bold white gold in 18 carat meet diamonds and rubies as well as protective stones such as rose quartz and amethyst.
“My work is about the search for spiritual experience and commitment”
FACES: Saboteur’s claim is: “For now. For then. Forever. How important is longevity, especially in the context of sustainability?
Rita Sabo: Indispensable. For me, the epitome of sustainability is when jewelry is passed down through generations. For me, longevity depends heavily on emotions…
FACES: In what way? And how do you achieve timelessness that is nevertheless zeitgeisty?
Rita Sabo: What I am about to say applies to my art as much as it does to SACRA: if something comes from deep within the heart, then it is automatically decoupled from short-lived trend cycles. This brings me back to introspection and the resulting connection with one’s own voice, which I mentioned earlier. In an increasingly fast-moving age, many people are increasingly longing for reassurance and depth, for a sense of being rooted. This makes my work timeless and yet in tune with the times.
FACES: You yourself are the face of the SACRA 18K campaign – which makes the collection all the more personal. Was it an easy decision for you?
Rita Sabo: It wasn’t really a decision, but rather a process. The designs are so closely interwoven with me that it would probably be difficult for someone else to convey all the emotions that go into the jewelry to the outside world. As a team, we came to the conclusion that it would be very authentic if I showed myself as the face of the campaign.
FACES: What wish do you have for your art?
Rita Sabo: That I continue to succeed in conveying to people what is important to me, to connect them with their subconscious and with themselves. And also to open their eyes to see the big picture instead of just the small realities of their own lives. I also want to drive positive change through the aid projects that I support with my art – and in the future on a larger, more global scale.
FACES: And for the Saboteur brand?
Rita Sabo: That we retain the timelessness I mentioned earlier – and lead the brand successfully into the future. That we continue to succeed in appealing to very different people and uniting them all under the umbrella of our message. By this I mean our commitment to sustainability and our strong commitment to inclusion. Our society is becoming increasingly polarized, and this is where we need more togetherness and consideration, recognition of our own privileges and support for those who are less fortunate.
FACES: As you said, ultimately this world doesn’t belong to any of us...
RitaSabo: Yes, we are all just guests.
SACRA 18K by Saboteur
Symbols of eternity, captured in objects for unforgettable moments: In a cross-generational collaboration, the Sabo family has added more bijoux to its jewelry box. The new collection includes necklaces, bracelets and ear studs. Made from high-quality materials, they exude a quiet elegance in our increasingly noisy world – and can still be sure of everyone’s attention.
Sacred geometry? That’s what Saboteur offers, transformed into true works of art.
Photos: © Saboteur
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