Maroš Rovňák (1972, Sobrance, Slovakia) is a multimedia and interdisciplinary artist. In 2002 he graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, Slovakia. In the same year, he became a finalist of the prestigious Oskar Čepan Award given to artists under the age of 36, thanks to which he established himself on the Slovak art scene. In 2003, he completed a several-month residency at the Headlands Center for Arts Sausalito California as an artist in residence, where he premiered his multimedia performance, The Mother of Harlots, devoted to the suppression of sexual minority rights and criticism of church power practices.
In the following years, he created several similarly tuned performances, formally based on digital manipulation of his own voice, using a collage of original texts and texts by Europe’s foremost writers R. M. Rilke or P. Celan, accompanied by his own music and video. His performances are characterized by an effort to create a dense audiovisual environment in order to intensely influence the viewer’s senses. The viewer finds him or herself trapped in a space filled with sounds in several layers, while watching a suggestive video. His understanding of the work presented in this way thus takes place more on an unconscious than conscious level. The artist believes that thanks to this, his message gets to the viewer unmediated as the viewer’s inner experience.
Rovňák regularly shows his performances at festivals in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. In parallel with the performance including video-art and sound-art, Rovňák also devotes himself to such media as object, installation and photography, and regularly exhibits at solo and group exhibitions in Slovakia and abroad. In 2011 and 2012 he also participated as a video-artist in two theater projects.
In 2013 Rovňák’s efforts in the field of performance with overlaps in theater and his interest in the theme of death and the associated rituals of mourning resulted in the theater project Asile de Nuit (Dormitory; the name can be interpreted as a hiding place before the night or death), for which he created a screenplay based on his lyrics, costumes, stage and music, and at the same time performed in it himself. In this piece, through several narrators, he tried to grasp death as a metaphysical and an intimate subject and at the same time pointed out the fact that contemporary culture had pushed death so much to the margins of its interest that it had become an attraction for the media. The following year, Rovňák founded an informal group called The Transient Theater (Pominuteľné divadlo), with which he presented his other similar project called 10,000. The Gospel for Roses. Here again he used several narrators, this time exclusively women, each of whom comes up with a different story and view of death. The project was, among other things, dedicated to the so-called femicides, the murders of women that have taken place since the early 1990s in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua.
Rovňák remained faithful to the topic of death and in 2018 and 2019 he devoted himself to artistic research aimed at shift in the perception of death during the Enlightenment, which conditioned the birth of modern cemeteries in Europe, the output of which was an exhibition of photographs and the lecture.
Rovňák’s work is characterized by an interest in human as a being who is constantly looking for a justification for his being and his place in the universe. His latest project, performance and video entitled In Absentia (2019 – 2020) is dedicated to the young Slovak archaeologist Martina Kušnírová, who was murdered in February 2018 together with her fiancé, investigative journalist Ján Kuciak. Maroš Rovňák lives and works in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.
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štúdium
- 2009 doktorát na Akadémii umení v Banskej Bystrici, Katedra audiovizuálnych médií
- 2002 magisterský titul, Vysoká škola výtvarných umení v Bratislave, Katedra grafiky
- 2000 bakalársky titul, Vysoká škola výtvarných umení v Bratislave, Katedra maľby
samostatné výstavy
- 2021 PORT, umelecká intervencia do priestorov pohrebnej kaplnky sv. Michala s karnerom, Starý zámok, Slovenské banské múzeum, Banská Štiavnica, SR
- 2019 Ostrovy nikoho, Záhrada – CNK, priestor S2, Banská Bystrica, SR
- 2015 Neverím, Galéria umenia Ernesta Zmetáka, Nové Zámky, SR
- 2011 Súkromná komunikácia, Subterén, Michalovce, SR
- 2010 Duchovné cvičenia, Dom fotografie, Liptovský Mikuláš, SR
- 2009 Hydrophobia, Galéria Medium, Bratislava, SR
- 2009 Locus solus, Stredoslovenská galéria, Banská Bystrica, SR
- 2009 Izba pre jedného, Stredoeurópsky dom fotografie, Bratislava, SR
- 2005 Limpieza di sangre (Čistota krvi), Stredoslovenská galéria, Banská Bystrica, SR
- 2004 Duchovný život zvierat, Slovenský inštitút v Budapešti, Maďarsko
- 2003 Farba tekutiny, Galéria Subterra, Nitra, SR
výber zo skupinových výstav
- 2019 Moc bezmocných. Politické aspekty v slovenskom a českom umení po roku 1989, Kunsthalle, Bratislava, SR
- 2018 Fetiše súčasnosti, Nitrianska galéria, Nitra, SR
- 2017 I Feel Weird Again (Modelová realita II.), galéria Krokus, Bratislava, SR
- 2017 Príbehy (o) smrti, Nitrianska galéria, Nitra, SR
- 2013 M(i)esto medzi pamäťou a nepamäťou, Turčianska galéria, Martin, SR
- 2013 Transgender Me 2013, Galerie NTK, Praha, ČR
- 2012 Krv, Slovenská národná galéria, Bratislava, SR
- 2012 Oltáre súčasnosti – súčasné oltáre, Turčianska galéria, Martin, SR
- 2012 Transgender Me 2012, DOX, Praha, ČR
- 2010 Nepokojné médium / Slovenská fotografia 1990 – 2010, Dom umenia, Bratislava, SR
- 2009 3. kapitola zo slovenského výtvarného umenia, Galerie kritiků, Praha, ČR
- 2007 3. salón mladých tvorcov, Théâtre de Montrouge, Paríž, Francúzsko
- 2007 Nemoc/subdominancia, Stredoslovenská galéria, Banská Bystrica, SR
- 2007 Czechpoint, Považská galéria umenia, Žilina, SR
- 2006 VIII. trienále drobnej plastiky a kresby, Galerie Lehalle, Paríž, Francúzsko
- 2004 Slovenská digitálna a elektronická grafika, Kultúrne centrum, Pécs, Maďarsko
- 2002 Finalisti Ceny Oskára Čepana, Galéria mesta Bratislavy, SR
- 2002 Madona v slovenskom výtvarnom umení, Nitrianska galéria, SR
- 2002 On je rád feministka, Buryzone, Bratislava, SR
- 2002 Privat Frei, Open Gallery, Bratislava, SR
performancie
- 2019 In Absentia (s Petrou Kriváčkovou), premiéra na festivale Žižkovská noc, Cross Attic, Praha, ČR
- 2018 In Absentia (work in progress) s Petrou Kriváčkovou, Kasárne-Kulturpark Košice
- 2017 Item reus, na otvorení výstavy I Feel Weird Again (Modelová realita II.) galéria Krokus, Bratislava, SR
- 2017 Červený dialóg / Item reus (work in progress), Kunsthalle Košice, SR
- 2010 Duchovné cvičenia, Divadlo Ivana Palúcha, Banská Bystrica, SK; Alte-Schmiede Kunstverein (s Petrom Machajdíkom), Viedeň, Rakúsko (2011)
- 2009 Smaragdové mesto, Kulturpark, Košice, SR
- 2008 Litánie, Europa Culture Center, Banská Bystrica, festival Intermedia.bb, SR; festival Multiplace, Stanica Žilina-Záriečie, Žilina, SR
- 2007 Hyaena, Stanica Žilina-Záriečie, festival Jeden svet, Žilina, SR; divadelný priestor D44, Štátna vedecká knižnica Banská Bystrica, SR; festival Malamut, Ostrava, ČR
- 2003 Matka neviestok, Headlands Center for the Arts, Sausalito, Kalifornia, USA; festival lesbickej kultúry Elbefest, Nultý priestor A4, Bratislava, SR (2004); Stredoslovenská galéria, BanskáBystrica, SR, na vernisáži autorskej výstavy (2005)
iné projekty
- 2014 10 000. Evanjelium pre ruže, divadelná hra (autorský scenár, scéna, kostýmy, hudba, réžia), Záhrada-CNK, Banská Bystrica, SR
- 2013 Asile de nuit, divadelná hra (autorský scenár, scéna, kostýmy, hudba, réžia), Záhrada-CNK, Banská Bystrica, SR
- 2012 Videli sme veci, videoprojekcia k divadelnému predstaveniu Téma Palach, (scenár Ľuba Lesná, réžia Viera Dubačová), Záhrada-CNK, Banská Bystrica
- 2012 video k tanečnému predstaveniu Lososy, Divadlo Štúdio tanca, Banská Bystrica, SK
study
- 2009 Doctorate from the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica, Department of Audiovisual Media
- 2002 Master degree, Academy of Fine Arts in Bratislava, Department of Graphics
- 2000 Bachelor degree, Academy of Fine Arts, Department of Painting
solo exhibitions
- 2021 PORT, art intervention in the premises od funerary chapel of St. Michael, Old Castle, Slovak mining museum, Banská Štiavnica
- 2019 Islands of Nobody, Záhrada-CNK, space S2, Banská Bystrica, SK
- 2015 I don’t believe, Gallery of Art of Ernest Zmeták Nové Zámky, SK
- 2011 Privat Communication, Subterén, Michalovce, SK
- 2010 The Spiritual Exercises, House of Photography, Liptovský Mikuláš, SK
- 2009 Hydrophobia, Gallery Medium, Bratislava, SK
- 2009 Locus Solus, Central Slovakian Gallery, Banská Bystrica, SK
- 2009 Single Room, Central European House of Photography, Bratislava, SK
- 2005 Limpieza di Sangre (Blood Purity), Central Slovakian Gallery, Banská Bystrica, SK
- 2004 Spiritual Life of Animals, Slovak Institute in Budapest, HU
- 2003 Colour of the Liquid, Subterra Gallery, Nitra, SK
selection from group exhibitions
- 2019 The Power of the Powerless. Political Aspects in Slovak and Czech Art After 1989, Kunsthalle Bratislava, SK
- 2018 Fetishes of the Present, Nitra Gallery, Nitra, SK
- 2017 I Feel Weird Again (Model Reality II.), Krokus Gallery, Bratislava, SK
- 2017 Stories about Death, Nitra Gallery, Nitra, SK
- 2013 Space Between Memory and Forgetfulness, Turiec Gallery Martin, SK
- 2013 Transgender Me 2013, NTK Gallery, Prague, CZ
- 2012 Blood, Slovak National Gallery, Bratislava, SK
- 2012 Altar of the Present – Contemporary Altars, Turiec Gallery, Martin, SK
- 2012 Transgender Me 2012, DOX, Prague, CZ
- 2010 Yeatsy Medium / Slovak Photography 1990 – 2010, Art House, Bratislava, SK
- 2009 3rd Chapter from Slovak visual arts, The Gallery of Art Critics, Prague, CZ
- 2007 3rd Salon of Young Creators, Théâtre de Montrouge, Paris, France
- 2007 Disease/subdominance, Central Slovakian Gallery, Banska Bystrica, SK
- 2007 Czechpoint, Považská Gallery of Arts in Žilina, SK
- 2006 VIII. Triennial of Small Sculpture and drawing, Galerie Lehalle, Paris, France
- 2004 Slovak Digital and Electronic Graphic, Cultural Center Pécs, HU
- 2002 Finalists of Oskár Čepan Prize, Bratislava City Gallery, Bratislava, SK
- 2002 Madonna in Contemporary Slovak Visual Arts, Nitra Gallery, Nitra, SK
- 2002 He Likes to be a Feminist, Buryzone, Bratislava, SK
- 2002 2002 Privat Frei, Open Gallery, Bratislava, SK
performances
- 2019 In Absentia (with Petra Kriváčková), premiere at Žižkov Night 2019 festival, Cross Atic, Prague, CZ
- 2018 In Absentia (work in progress) with Petra Kriváčková, Kasárne-Kulturpark, Košice, SK
- 2017 Item Reus, at the opening of the exhibition I Feel Weird Again (Model Reality II.), Krokus Gallery, Bratislava, SK
- 2017 Red Dialogue / Item Reus (work in progress), Kunsthalle Košice, SK
- 2010 The Spiritual Exercises, Ivan Palúch Theatre Banská Bystrica, SK; Alte-Schmiede Kunstverein (with Peter Machajdík), Vienna, Austria (2011)
- 2009 Emerald City, Kulturpark, Košice, SK
- 2008 Litanies, Europa Culture Center, Intermedia.bb festival, Banská Bystrica, SK; Multiplace festival, Stanica Žilina-Záriečie, Žilina, SK
- 2007 Hyaena, Stanica Žilina-Záriečie, One World festival, Žilina, SK; Theatre space D44, State Scientific Library, Banska Bystrica, SK; Malamut festival, Ostrava, CZ
- 2003 The Mother of Harlots, premiere at Headlands Center for the Arts, Sausalito, California, USA
other projects
- 2014 10 000. Gospel for Roses, theatre play (screenplay, theatre set, costumes, music, direction), Záhrada-CNK Banská Bystrica, SK
- 2013 Asile de Nuit, theatre play (screenplay, theatre set, costumes, music, direction), Záhrada-CNK Banská Bystrica, SK
- 2012 We’ve Seen Things, video for the theatre play Téma Palach, Záhrada-CNK Banská Bystrica, SK
- 2012 video for the dance performance Lososy (Salmons), Divadlo Štúdio tanca, Banská Bystrica, SK
Maroš Rovňák 