Biography

Born in Czechoslovakia. Studied at the Institute of Sonology in The Hague (Netherlands) and at Music Academy in Cracow (Poland). His main focus is chaotic and polymetric rhythms, unconventional tunings, exploration of psychoacoustic properties of sound and field recording. He has created several site-specific sound installations, based on resonant properties of spaces and materials. Gave workshops on sonification, field recording, electromagnetic listening, and programming for artists. He is the creator of Elektrosluch – electromagnetic listening device.

In 2011 he started label and instrument manufacturing company LOM focused on East/Central European experimental art and music. Since 2013 he is organizing ZVUK, an outdoor festival dedicated to experimental music. In 2018 he opened LOM space, place for contemporary sound in Bratislava.

In 2019 he established bioLOM/mykoLOM platform dealing with amateur mycology, lichenology and broader fungal perspectives. He established mykoLOM lab with professional equipment for mushroom cultivation and culture work. In 2019 he started a mykoLOM festival, intersecting arts, mycology and foraging tradition. In 2021 he published a book about lichens growing in Petržalka district in Bratislava, Slovakia. In 2022 he started a first Slovak portal dedicated to lichens — lisajniky.sk.

Performed and exhibited his work in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, United Kingdom; on festivals such as Sonic Acts (Netherlands), Borealis (Norway), Kraak (Belgium), Unsound (Poland), Norberg (Sweden), Sonic Experiments @ ZKM (Germany), Audio Art (Poland), Mélos-Ethos (Slovakia), Parallel Vienna (Austria), Ultrahang (Hungary) or Next (Slovakia).

In 2012—2015 Jonáš Gruska worked as a mastering engineer at Lunar Mastering studio. In 2014 he ran a podcast called Rozvuk.

2023

  • 21. 4. Lecture at Institute of Sonology, The Hague, Netherlands
  • 21. 4. Performing in The Hague, Netherlands
  • 5. 7. Lecutre at Xhurch, Portland, OR, USA
  • 19. 7. Lecture at Adobe Books, San Francisco, CA, USA
  • 24. 7. Lecture in New York, NY, USA
  • 9. 11. Performing at PAKT, Bratislava, SK

2022

  • 7. 5. Performing at INA GRM, Paris, France
  • 24. 6. Performing at Order of Sonic Chaos: Preliminary connection, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 18. 8. — 9. 9. Curating “Order of Sonic Chaos” exhibition, Terén, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 15. 12. Performing at Velak Gala, Vienna, Austria

2021

  • 2. 5. “Lichen”, commisioned tape piece for Oscillation Festival, Brussels, Belgium
  • 11. 10. Public video-interview @ Malý Berlín (online)
  • 16. 10. Performing at Synagóga, Žilina, Slovakia
  • 10. – 24. 10. Solo exhibition at Hot Dock Gallery, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 23. 10. Performing at Malý Berlín, Trnava, Slovakia

2020

  • 22. 2. Performing at Sonic Acts Academy 2020, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • 29. 2. Performing as Mrkva/Bolka at Kafara, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 16. 7. Performing at Parken, Vienna, Austria
  • 23–26. 7. Sound installation at Kiosk, Žilina, Slovakia
  • 30. 7. Site-specific performance “Plot”, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 15. 8. Performing at Bučení, Lubná, Czech Republic
  • 24. 8. Performing at Mushroom fountain, Bratislava, Slovakia

2019

  • 24. 1. ShSssh It’ll Be OK! performance, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 17. 2. Performing at AVA Vardagsrum Session, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 9. 3. Introduction to field recording, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 30-31. 3. ShSssh It’ll Be OK! performance, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 13. 4. Performing at FUGA, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 18. 4. Performing at Listen!, Brussels, Belgium
  • 20. 4. Performing at Table Dance, Antwerp, Belgium
  • 24. 4. Performing at AFO, Olomouc, Czech Republic
  • 3. 5. Performing as Mrkva/Bolka, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 15. 6. Performing at LOM, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 24. 8. Performing at Důl Michal, Ostrava, Czech Republic
  • 13. 9. ShSssh It’ll Be OK! performance, Nitra, Slovakia
  • 18. 9. Field recording workshop + presentation at Plato, Ostrava, Czech Republic
  • 1. 10. Talk at “Towards the Unsecure Horizon”, Prague, Czech Republic
  • 4. 10. Performing & talk at JAMA, Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia
  • 19. 10. DIY electromagnetic workshop, Pardubice, Czech Republic
  • 30. 10. Lecture at Praha, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 16. 11. Performing at Eluzína, Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia
  • 21. 11. Workshop for VŠVU students, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 26. 11. Lecture at Institute of Sonology, Netherlands
  • 27. 11. Performance at STUK, Leuven, Belgium
  • 28. 11. Performance at De Player, Rotterdam, Netherlands
  • 15. 12. Workshop at ZVUK, Praha, Czech Republic

2018

  • 24. 2. Performing at FUGA, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 3. 3. Performing as Mrkva/Bolka at Kraa in A4, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 6. 4. Performing at Noční směna, Ostrava, Czech Republic
  • 14. 4. Amplióny performance, Nástupište 1-12, Topolčany, Slovakia
  • 11. 5. Performing as Mrkva/Bolka at Cykolkuchyňa, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 31. 5. Listening workshop at train station at “Been there together”, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 21. 6.–29. 7. “Triaxial magnetic chant” sound installation, Plusmínus gallery, Žilina, Slovakia
  • 1. 9. Performing at “Mischief and Tenderness” book launch, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 15. 9. Performing at Batyskaf 000, Čunovo, Slovakia
  • 24. 11. Performing at Silent Night, Prague, Czech Republic
  • 16. 12. Performing at T3, Bratislava

2017

  • 19. 1-19. 2. Site-specific installation, Meetfactory, Prague, Czech Republic
  • 28. 1. Elektrosluch Mini City workshop, Stockholm, Sweden
  • 10. 3. Site-specific installation/performance @ Borealis, Bergen, Norway
  • 11. 3. Elektrosluch Mini City workshop @ Borealis, Bergen, Norway
  • 12. 3. Electromagnetic room with Laurie Lax @ Borealis, Bergen, Norway
  • 21. 4. Elektrosluch Mini City workshop @ Resonate, Belgrade, Serbia
  • 4. 5. Guest lecture/workshop at FAVU, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 13-14. 5. Electromagnetic workshop, Katowice, Poland
  • 29. 6.–2. 7. Site-specific installation “Riečně” with Alexandra Cihanská Machová, Luhačovice, Czech Republic
  • 15. 7. Field recording workshop, FUGA, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 15. 8.–15. 9. Site-specific installation, Opava, Czech Republic
  • 2. 9. Electromagnetic listening workshop, Eufonic festival, La Ràpita, Spain
  • 9. 9. Lúky performance at Ruiny III., Rimavská Sobota, Slovakia
  • 23. 9. Elektrosluch workshop, Supercluster festival, Brussels, Belgium
  • 25. 9. Performing at Mikrozvuk, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 30. 9. Public field recording trip, Trnava, Slovakia
  • 14. 10. Performing with Jon Gibson Group, Unsound, Cracow, Poland
  • 28. 10. Site-specific performance, Jihlava, Czech Republic
  • 14. 11. Field recording workshop, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
  • 28. 11. Mrkva/Bolka live at A4, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 11. 12. Performing at Apart, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 16. 12. Mäkko – ASMR workshop & listening event, Bratislava, Slovakia

2016

  • 23. 2. Lecturing at VSVU, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 11. 3. Performing at A4, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 20. 3. Electromagnetic listening workshop at Klinika, Prague, Czech Republic
  • 4. 5. Performing at Frameless, Munich, Germany
  • 7. 6. Lúky sound installation, Topolčany, Slovakia
  • 11. 6. Electromagnetic trolleybus - live performance in a trolleybus, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 22. 6. Performing at Venin, Paris, France
  • 26. 6. Performing at Harvest, London, United Kingdom
  • 15. 7. Performing at Au rora o raura! festival, Hranice, Czech Republic
  • 16. 7. Electromagnetic listening workshop, Hranice, Czech Republic
  • 8. 9.-16. 10. Site-specific sound installation at OGV, Jihlava, Czech Republic
  • 10. 9. Site-specific sound installation at Zastávka 194, Choteboř, Czech Republic
  • 17-18. 9. Zvuky mesta - field recording workshop, Trnava, Slovakia
  • 21. 9. PechaKucha Night Trnava vol. 19, Slovakia
  • 22. 9. Performing at Sound city days, Košice, Slovakia
  • 23. 9. Performing at UH Fest warm-up in Budapest, Hungary
  • 25. 9. Fontána – site-specific performance, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 16. 10. Elektrosluch Mini City workshop, Cafe Oto, London, UK
  • 16-23. 10. Presenting field recordings at Unsound Festival, Cracow, Poland
  • 25. 10. Presenting my work at Listening club, Bergen, Norway
  • 5. 11. Elektrosluch Mini City workshop at Rack Rash, Vienna, Austria
  • 12. 11. Elektrosluch Mini City workshop, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 15. 11. Lecture at VSVU, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 19. 11. Listening session, Prague, Czech Republic
  • 24. 11. Field recording lecture and electromagnetic workshop, Prague, Czech Republic
  • 13. 12. Lecture at Krakatoa, Bratislava, Slovakia

2015

  • 23. 1. Leading workshop about digital audio and Supercollider, JAMU, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 13. 3. Leading workshop about field recording, JAMU, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 27. 3. Performing at Nástupište 1-12, Topolčany, Slovakia
  • 17. 4. Performing at Easterndazed, Budapest, Hungary
  • 24. 4. Performing at Školská 28, Prague, Czech Republic
  • 7. 5. Performing at Stanica, Žilina, Slovakia
  • 9. 5. Performing at Batyskaf, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 19. 5. Site-specific installation “Dvere” and performance at 7. Zlínsky Salon Mladých, Zlín, Czech Republic
  • 26. 6. Performing at LOM+VELAK, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 3. 7. Performing at Sonic Experiments, ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany
  • 23-27. 9. Site-specific installation “Site Specific Resonances V” at Parallel Vienna, Austria
  • 9. 10. Site-specific performance “Lúky” at Nástupište 1-12, Topolčany, Slovakia
  • 7. 11. Performing at Hundred Years Gallery, London, United Kingdom
  • 9. 11. Elektrosluch Mini workshop at Cafe OTO project space, London, United Kingdom
  • 11. 11. Performing at Cafe OTO, London, United Kingdom
  • 14. 11. Elektrosluch Mini workshop at Progressbar, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 1. 12. Elektrosluch Mini workshop at Platoon, Berlin, Germany
  • 2. 12. Site-specific performance at Platoon, Berlin, Germany
  • 5. 12. Performing at PAF, Olomouc, Czech Republic
  • 6. 12. Elektrosluch Mini workshop, Brno, Czech Republic

2014

  • 15. 2. Performing at Kraa festival, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 17. 2. Performing with MSHR in FUGA, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 13. 3. Performing in Brussels, Belgium
  • 13-14.3. Leading workshop on home-brew circuit boards design and etching at OKNO, Brussels, Belgium
  • 4. 4. Performing as ZVOM, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 10. 5. Performing at “The Blank Stare” event, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 17. 5. Performing with ::.: as 75 cyklov, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 30. 5. Performing “Rúry”, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 5. 6. Performing “Rúry”, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 25. 7. Performing at Norberg festival, Norberg, Sweden
  • 12. 10.–2.11. Leading Supercollider workshop, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 31. 10. Binmatu performance, Pardubice, Czech Republic
  • 1. 11. Performing in Praha, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 11. 11. Performing at Velak Export, Vienna, Austria

2013

  • 10. 1. Binmatu performance at Ephemere, The Hague, The Netherlands
  • 18. 1. Performing at Art’s Birthday, Brussels, Belgium
  • 7. 2. Binmatu performance at Institute of Sonology, The Hague, The Netherlands
  • Performing at Haguestock, The Hague, The Netherlands
  • 25. 2. Performing at LOM label showcase, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 2. 3. Performing at Kraak festival, Aalst, Belgium
  • Performing with Bolka, The Hague, The Netherlands
  • 16. 3. Performing in Gemak gallery, The Hague, The Netherlands
  • 22. 5. Performing in Dystopia, The Hague, The Netherlands
  • 24. 5. Performing in Autonom Centrum, The Hague, The Netherlands
  • 27. 5. Performing in Loos Studio, The Hague, The Netherlands
  • 16. 6. Performing in Villa K, The Hague, The Netherlands
  • 20. 6. Performing and presenting compositions at Sonology Final Exam, The Hague, The Netherlands
  • 8. 9. Performing at ZVUK festival, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 28. 9. Performing at A.live festival, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 3. 10. Sound installation and performance at Prádelna Bohnice, Prague, Czech Republic
  • 15. 10. Artistic presentation at “Kreatívne ráno”, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 9. 11. Special performance on urban bells in Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 9. 11. Performing with Zavoloka at Mélos-Ethos festival, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 16. 11. Performing with Angakok Thoth, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 30. 11. Binmatu performance, Prague, Czech Republic
  • 12–13. 12. Leading workshop about building pocket amplifiers, Košice, Slovakia
  • 31. 12. Mrkva/Bolka performance, Bratislava, Slovakia

2012

  • 24. 1. Performing with Krakow Active Ensamble in Alchemia, Krakow, Poland
  • 2. 3. Binmatu performance on Progressbar birthday party, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • Artistic residency at OKNO, Brussels, Belgium
  • 26. 3. Performing at OEN, Krakow, Poland
  • 13. 4. Artistic presentation and performance at Multiplace festival, Brno, Czech Republic
  • 26. 4. Binmatu performance in Academy of Music, Krakow, Poland
  • 12. 5. OSMOGAS exhibition at TIK festival, Brussels, Belgium
  • 12. 5. OSMOGAS exhibition at Open House festival, Brussels, Belgium
  • 12. 5. Binmatu performance at TIK festival, Brussels, Belgium
  • 19. 5. Binmatu performance at “Queerowy maj”, Krakow, Poland
  • 21. 5. Performing with Krakow Active Ensamble in Alchemia, Krakow, Poland
  • 1. 6. Performing with Krakow Active Ensamble at “Index errorum dzieciorum” installation opening, Krakow, Poland
  • 8. 6. Phasolume installation with Agnes Szelag, Krakow, Poland
  • 15. 6. Binmatu performance at Dietla 449, Krakow, Poland
  • 16. 6. Leading workshop on digital audio, Pure Data and programming at Young composers festival, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 17. 6. Binmatu performance at Slovak Radio, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 29. 6. Binmatu performance at NK, Bratislava, Slovakia
  • 3. 7. Binmatu performance at Day of Sound, Bunkier Sztuki, Krakow, Poland
  • 11. 9. Performing at Haguestock, The Hague, The Netherlands
  • 16. 11. Performing with Luke Deane and Eugene Kim, The Hague, The Netherlands
  • 7. 12. Binmatu performance at NEXT festival, Slovakia

2011

  • 23. 1. Participating in workshop of Seijiro Murayama and playing in A4, Bratislava
  • 22. 2. - 6. 3. Exhibiting Finnish version of Basen at Live Herring 2011 festival in Finland
  • 20. 5. Solo exhibition - interactive installation about 4 modes of listening at Royal Conservatory, The Hague
  • 2-7. 7. Leading 4-day workshop on untraditional ways of city sonification
  • 14. 11. Leading workshop on Pure Data, audio programming and Processing and performing on Intermedia festival in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia
  • 22. 11. Performing on AudioArt festival, Cracow, Poland. Exhibiting live sound installation Sonodump
  • 30. 11. Performing on NEXT festival, Bratislava Slovakia

2010

  • 16. 1. Performing on Art’s birthday in Okno (Brussels) with gnd.
  • Composing music for Donaudrama theatre play.
  • 1. 11. Won a competition with my interactive poem.
  • Working 9 months as a technician in a cultural center A4 (Bratislava)
  • 15. 3. Artistic presentation on Gucha event in A4 cultural center
  • 14. 4. Technical concept and support for Play Cultures exhibition.
  • 15. 4. Performing during Multiplace festival workshop with Cericka.