the hands-on, uncompromising and always distinctive work of petr válek has grown into a global phenomenon reaching far beyond experimental music. his kinetic sculptures and other metal or wooden objects form the core of metal, a performance and album created with ondřej merta (bastl instruments) and jára tarnovski (gurun gurun). the record opens a world of mechanical noises, rattles and creaks; live, you also see the instruments and the process behind each sound.
performances by válek merta tarnovski are full of movement, vibration and mechanical clatter. they celebrate diy culture, interaction, recycling, spontaneity and humour. the trio sets objects in motion, shifts and dismantles them, weaving them together in ever-changing ways. each show is both a premiere and a finale, shaped by the space, its acoustics and the objects found on site. their debut was released in 2023 on the london label flaming pines, which will also release their second album in march 2026.
metal crackles with energy, humour and tactility. the performance unfolds in real time on petr válek’s kinetic objects, as well as on homemade synthesisers, stones, branches, kitchen utensils and found objects collected on site.
metal on metal, metal and wood, metal and skin. rolling, whirring, tinkling, creaking and rustling. this is a performance full of movement, abrasions, vibrations and encounters. there is a certain spontaneity and roughness to what unfolds. hands, bodies and surfaces are as much a part of the action as the metallic constructions and found objects used as instruments.
we hear these objects rolled, dropped, shaken and stretched. mysterious processes begin, gyrating into perception, before suddenly ending, or clanking out of earshot. the piece is by turns playful and serious, restless and patient. a celebration not only of frictions, but also fictions — of the imagined as well as the material and concrete.
metal offers the thrill and vitality of movement and interaction — between válek, merta and tarnovski, and the spaces, surfaces, objects and inventions the trio perform with and through.
petr válek is a painter, illustrator, musician, and creator of sound instruments and kinetic objects. based in loučná nad desnou in the jeseníky mountains (czechia), he has been immersed in painting, drawing, book illustration, and music since childhood. alongside frequent musical performances, he constructs mechanical and electro-mechanical sound instruments from found materials — creating twirling, rustling, creaking, spinning, tinkling, and gurgling sculptures. these works, referencing pataphysics and the arte povera movement, stand as both unique musical tools and distinctive art objects.
www.instagram.com/the.vape.noise
brno-based ondřej merta, also known as ogj, is a member of the experimental-pop duo hugo & zoe and has collaborated with artists such as oliver torr, dirty electronics, and tomáš niesner. he co-founded bastl instruments with václav peloušek (aka toyota vangelis), a community-focused company producing handmade electronic musical instruments and modular systems. active in brno’s experimental scene, he curates concerts at vasulka kitchen, runs workshops, and teaches at the faculty of fine arts.
www.bastl-instruments.com
jara tarnovski is a member of the electro-acoustic group gurun gurun (buh records) and performs solo as well as with projects such as wabi experience (mikroton), iq+1 (mappa), and in a duo with mexican multimedia artist laura luna castillo (genot centre). he is involved in the audiovisual collective telekinetic assault group, and creates music for theatre, field recordings (under the alias prosoxi skylos), and radio documentaries. tarnovski frequently collaborates with japanese musicians including dustin wong, takako minekawa, aus, and asuna, and has released two albums with vocalist haco, touring with her across japan and europe. he curates jipangu, a small label dedicated to experimental music and sound art.
linktr.ee/tarnovski
bandcamp > flamingpines.bandcamp.com/album/metal
instagram > www.instagram.com/valek_merta_tarnovski
video > www.youtube.com/@thevape5030
image © thaïs breton