**The Sphere** concludes its first cycle with **KARMIC OBJECTS**, a unique collection of six artworks (five in editions of 150, one in 250) blending circus, dance, and performance art with blockchain. **KARMIC001** is comprised of two primary seeds: **Materia** by Andrea Salutri, **C8H11NO2** by ROOM100, and three derivatives by Cecilia Manfrini, Marija Baranauskaité, Utka Gavuzzo, chosen via Cygnet Quadratic Voting. Lene Vollhardt's film **Swirls of Fortune** completes the collection, showcasing its web3 art ecosystem.

The 1,000 NFTs from **KARMIC001** were distributed among artists, backers, institutional partners, and The Sphere’s Common Treasury multisig. As these NFTs enter circulation in The Sphere's **Karmetplace**, NFT holders can keep supporting artistic projects through secondary sales proceeds’ donations and royalties.

THE SPHERE KARMIC OBJECTS — FIRST CYCLE

Artists **Marija Baranauskaitė Liberman**, **Mark Liberman** and **Filip Jacobson** are creators of the very first film for non-human public. The audience of the film is polystyrene. The goal of the film is to explore possibilities and its effects of creating art for the unconscious and even nonliving public.   

The film is not made for humans. It is not made to be liked, understood, criticized. It is not provoking or solving anything. But it slightly changes the history of the polystyrene that is being brought to the screenings. This slightly changed history of polystyrene might not be important to humans, but this non-importance might create some feelings or provoke some thoughts in the human minds. That is why this film is human-friendly and people are allowed to sneak into the screenings. Allowing humans to enter the screenings also makes it possible for the film to tour art events which in turn supports the possibility for polystyrene to be(come) part of this happening.  

As an NFT owner, you will receive an excerpt of the film. This shortcut is the most relatable to humans as it speaks of the similarity of polystyrene and a not-yet-born human baby and to the baby’s mother. The role is played by Marija Baranauskaitė Liberman with her first-born inside of her.  

The creative source is found in relationships. These connections are not only between humans, humans and objects, but also between things themselves. We, as humans, cannot experience or understand what is truly going on between a thing and a thing, for instance, between polystyrene and the sound and light waves of the film. But our minds can experiment with and playfully imagine what happens when films, performances and other kinds of art are made for things and only for them.  

This performance is inspired by Andrea Salustri's **MATERIA** and is co-produced by The Sphere with support from Creative Europe.  

**ABOUT THE ARTIST** 
**Marija Baranauskaitė** is the first Lithuanian who has completed clown theatre studies at the international clown school of Philippe Gaulier in France. Prior to that, she completed her studies in contemporary dance at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. Since 2013, she has worked as a professional performer and artist who also hosts creative workshops. She is an actor of organization Red Noses Clowndoctors, also the organization’s artistic director (2018-2020). Marija’s practice is oriented towards the non-human element in contemporary circus. Her first solo performance was created for sofas. With her partner Mark Liberman she created a performance where ducks were performing for humans.  

**CREDITS** 
Creators and Performers of the Film Script: Marija Baranauskaitė Liberman and Markas Liberman 
Director of Photography and Editing: Filip Jacobson 
Music Composition: Markas Liberman 
Spectators: Polystyrene 
Supported by The Sphere, La Maison des Jonglages, Arts Printing House, Saloranta & de Vylder, and Creative Europe  

**TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS** 
Medium: Video performance for non-human audience 
Materials: Polystyrene pieces, seats, video projection 
Length: 20” 
Year: 2024 
Presented at: Flic, Turin (12-14/01/2024)

MATERIA 2.0 - FILM FOR POLYSTYRENE

**Materia 3.0 AEROGAMI** focuses on exploring polystyrene and its aerodynamic capabilities in a space where air currents are an integral part of the work. Expanding horizons in the manipulation of objects, they come to life for a moment. The objects, the actor and the music are protagonists and interact naturally, as if they belonged to the same universe.  

Music is not simply a sound, but an essential part of the performance. Through the use of advanced technologies and sensors, real-time data is collected from the stage that becomes music. In other words, the objects themselves contribute to the creation of the musical experience, offering the audience a unique sensory journey that fuses sight and sound together.  

This performance is inspired by Andrea Salustri's **MATERIA** and is co-produced by The Sphere with support from Creative Europe.  

**ABOUT THE ARTIST** 
**Utka Gavuzzo** was born in Argentina and formed himself as an artist while traveling in over thirty countries. His first encounter with artistic movement came from practicing martial arts from an early age. When he started doing circus and saw how it was evolving, he realized that everything you do serves to create an artistic language. So, since the age of 17, focused on being versatile in art and in life, he has traveled the world attending masterclasses and training courses in circus disciplines and all kinds of arts. Finding a strong affinity with juggling, dance and theater, his research has focused on movement, physical training and object manipulation.  

**CREDITS** 
Music: Maximiliano Quiñones 
Technic and Engineering: Corrado Edoardo Sartori 
Supported by The Sphere, Cordata F.O.R., Maison des Jonglages, Flic Scuola di Circo, Zirkusquartier, and Creative Europe.  

**TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS** 
Creator and Performer: Utka Gavuzzo 
Medium: Stage Performance 
Materials: Polystyrene, air currents, sound, and electronic automation. 
Length: 45’ 
Year: 2024 
Presented at: Flic, Turin (14/01/2024)