The primary goal of the project is to preserve tradition. I believe that in the 21st century, we can highlight Hungarian traditions—specifically in the visual arts and imagery—by adapting them to the needs, technology, and visual world of today. Currently, traditional preservation does not capture people’s attention (especially among the younger generation), and attempts to do so are often seen as clichéd or appear in a familiar, sometimes boring manner.

Therefore, I set the goal of creating a visual adaptation of Hungarian folk songs based on and inspired by the roots of Hungarian folk art, in a way that fits into the modern era, presenting it in a novel, exciting, and entertaining form. To achieve this, I created an interactive website that currently features visual adaptations and data visualizations of the 10 most popular and beloved Hungarian folk songs. Each illustration is an abstract representation of the song’s sheet music and lyrics, with each note paired with a syllable to which I assign a unique symbol.

Research generally considers geometric decoration to be more ancient. These can also be found on folk art objects. Thus, I return to this ancient abstraction, when these geometric symbols conveyed messages that gradually evolved into decorations over time. Flowers are often considered the most well-known and frequently used motifs in Hungarian folk art. It is often observed that certain symbols and motifs become stylized as floral decorations, disrupting the organic structure.

Therefore, I decided to use the abstract representation of flowers as symbols, retaining the core and petals. The symbols and flowers are arranged in a predefined regular grid system. The vertical position of a symbol changes with the pitch of the note (how many Hz the sound is), while the horizontal position corresponds to the subsequent note in the sheet music. The size of the central shape of the symbol is directly proportional to the note value (how long the sound is heard). The petals, as outlines, represent the syllables of the song’s lyrics associated with the note. Their size also changes in direct proportion to the note value but on a larger scale. Thus, each note in every song has a unique symbol, creating the distinctive visual appearance of the folk song.

The colors of each illustration are set based on the color palette characteristic of the given folk song, taking into account the tone. I produced the music for the illustrations myself using a digital sequencer based on the sheet music. In the animations, I aimed to create the illusion of blooming flowers emerging one after the other. Here, I use the time signature and note values from the sheet music to calculate the timing of the next note.

The logo is a set of four abstract flowers symbolizing the connection between tradition and modernity/folk song and folk art. The cross symbol in the center refers to the musical sharp (#) and the popular online hashtag (#tag). The final logo evokes the visual world of Hungarian woven textiles.

On the interactive website, visitors can view the illustrations and the animations created from them, along with the music. I intended the site to be a complete interactive art experience, focusing on the graphics/illustrations rather than surface elements (buttons, navigation tools, etc.), creating the effect of an online virtual gallery.

I believe the project holds limitless possibilities. The graphics can also be used as conventional design elements (e.g., T-shirt designs, phone case decorations, etc.), not just as whole illustrations but also as parts of them. By highlighting one or more words, quotes, and their illustrations, we can create an almost infinite number of unique graphics and symbols.

My plans include further developing the graphics primarily in the virtual space. The form and color scheme offer the potential to create a unique experience in virtual or augmented reality.

It is important to me that with #ChekThisMelody, Hungarian folk songs can be enjoyed with as many senses as possible (sight, hearing, touch), allowing even people with disabilities to experience them. Even in the current implementation, those who cannot hear the songs can still enjoy a new kind of experience, as the visualization allows them to somewhat perceive the music. Thanks to the simple, abstract forms, it is possible to represent unique, characteristic shapes of the graphics in a way that makes the folk songs tangible. As part of my work, I created a 3D-printed prototype of one of the folk song illustrations. These could potentially be presented as large-scale outdoor sculptures. Staying in the physical realm, they could also provide exciting visuals as light paintings or building decoration elements.

I hope that with my work, I have managed to create a unique visual and sensory experience that captivates those who see and experience it. Furthermore, I hope that I have achieved my original goal of bringing the world of Hungarian folk music and motifs closer to young people, making it more interesting and familiar to them.

I have abstractly recreated folk motifs and used them to visualize folk songs, encompassing both sheet music and lyrics, thus creating a modern representation of them. Our traditions can continue to thrive in a new form in the 21st century.