Sara Persico & Mika Oki present “Sphaîra”

Sphaîra is an immersive audiovisual performance by sound artist Sara Persico and visual artist Mika Oki, inspired by the architectural and sonic environment of the Tripoli Dome in Lebanon. The work is an exploration of spatial sound, light, and structure, creating an experience that resonates with the physical and psychological dimensions of enclosure and expansion.

At its core, Sphaîra draws from field recordings captured inside the Tripoli Dome—an unfinished experimental theater designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer—interwoven with Persico’s signature vocal processing, electronic manipulation, and bass-driven compositions. Mika Oki’s visual design mirrors the spherical acoustics of the space, crafting an evolving interplay of shadow, light, and movement.

With a focus on transforming perception through sound and visuals, Sphaîra invites audiences into a hypnotic, enveloping environment where architecture, history, and sonic experimentation converge. The project reimagines the spatial qualities of the original dome structure, making use of venues with 360° projection or immersive settings to achieve its full potential.

Artist Bios

Sara Persico (IT) Sara Persico is an Italian sound artist, composer, and performer whose practice spans experimental electronics, free improvisation, and site-specific performance. With a background in vocal experimentation and sound design, her work explores the intersection of voice, noise, and spatial acoustics.

Mika Oki (FR) Mika Oki is a Franco-Japanese visual artist and DJ whose practice moves between video, installation, and light design. She is known for creating immersive audiovisual environments that blur the line between physical and virtual perception. With a deep interest in psychoacoustics and the emotional impact of spatialized sound, her work has been presented at festivals such as Berlin Atonal, MUTEK, and Sonic Acts.

Performance Format

The live performance features Sara Persico performing live electronics and vocals, generating an evolving soundscape that moves between textured noise, sub-heavy rhythms, and vocal abstraction. Mika Oki constructs a parallel visual world, using light projection and real-time visual manipulation to create an enveloping, ever-shifting atmosphere.

Unlike traditional audiovisual performances that pair moving imagery with sound, Sphaîra is designed as a fully immersive experience, where light and sound are integrated into the architecture of the venue itself, heightening spatial perception and transforming the performance space.

Visual Elements

The visual component of Sphaîra is not based on pre-recorded footage but on a dynamic lighting system that reacts to the music, designed to enhance the perception of space within a dome or immersive environment. The shifting light fields mirror the acoustics of the performance, surrounding the audience in an evolving, tactile environment.

At Berlin Atonal, the project was adapted for a non-dome setting, with a suspended circular screen to approximate the immersive effect. However, the performance is ultimately designed for a dome-shaped venue—where light projections can be mapped directly onto the curved structure, amplifying the work’s intended spatial impact.

Conceptual Framework

Sphaîra investigates the relationship between architecture, sound, and memory, drawing from the history of abandoned utopian structures like the Tripoli Dome. The project asks:

How does sound shape our experience of space?

How can light transform our perception of enclosure and openness?

How do historical spaces, left unfinished, carry an imprint of their past and an imagined future?

Through its site-specific approach, Sphaîra is both an homage to forgotten architectures and an exploration of sonic futurism, bridging past and present through sound and light.

Technical Requirements

360° dome projection capabilities (or adaptable immersive light setup)

Surround sound system with multi-channel audio configuration

Modular lighting system adaptable to venue structure

Performance History

Berlin Atonal 2024 (World Premiere)

Booking Contact : michelle@potnia-theron.de