SHAPESHIFT FESTIVAL 2025: RADICAL IMAGINATIONS

In a world of rapidly evolving technology, economic challenges, and ongoing social upheavals, the future feels more unpredictable than ever. SHAPESHIFT Festival returns for its third edition in 2025: Radical Imaginations, offering fresh perspectives on tomorrow—not through forecasts and theories but through art, digital experiments, and immersive experiences.

From 25 to 27 April, Toplocentrala will host some of the most innovative artists, researchers, and designers pushing the boundaries between digital art, science, and technology.

SHAPESHIFT 2025 SPEAKERS

CONSTANTIN PROZOROV (DE/FR) – Digital Artist

Dubbed a visionary of digital collage, Prozorov’s work dissolves the lines between haute couture, surrealism, and digital art. He has collaborated with MONCLER, GUCCI, BMW, and LOUIS VUITTON, crafting stunning animated dreamscapes.

• MONCLER Genius x Richard Quinn – A digital reinterpretation of Quinn’s signature prints, where flowers come to life and mythical creatures float through ethereal clouds.

• LOUIS VUITTON #LOUIS200 – A digital time capsule celebrating the brand’s 200th anniversary, exploring its past, present, and future. This work has been exhibited in LV boutiques worldwide, traveling from Paris to New York—and now arriving in Sofia as part of the festival's exhibition program.

SOYUN PARK (KR/NL) – Artist, Educator & Researcher

South Korean artist Soyun Park, based in the Netherlands, is a faculty member at the Netherlands Film Academy in Amsterdam. Her work explores how technology shapes human perception and behavior.

• Shapeshifting with AI – What if you could literally step into someone else’s skin? Soyun’s interactive experiments with generative AI challenge the limits of identity and embodiment.

• The Perfect Feed – Investigating how social media algorithms shape our perception of reality. Park has collaborated with The Hmm, RGBdog, and TouchDesigner to build alternative tools for online existence.

JORGE CHRISTIE (CL/DE) – Sustainable Architecture & Biomaterials Expert

Forget concrete and steel—the future of architecture is made of wood-based biocomposites. Jorge Christie and his startup, Strong by Form, develop ultra-lightweight yet incredibly strong wooden structures that could replace traditional construction materials.

• Woodflow Technology – A digital manufacturing process that models wood to achieve greater strength and efficiency than even natural growth.

• Collaborations with BMW & Deutsche Bahn – Strong by Form is already working with industry leaders to create sustainable construction and transportation solutions.

N O R M A L S (FR/DE) – Speculative Designers & Futurists

The French-German collective N O R M A L S crafts futuristic prototypes, speculative narratives, and experimental worlds that challenge how we perceive the future.

• INWARDS – Five audiovisual scenarios envisioning a post-consumerist society embracing radical introspection.

• Future Festivals – What if festivals were self-sustaining ecosystems? In their 18-month research project with MUTEK, imagineNATIVE, and cultural institutions worldwide, N O R M A L S reimagine events of the future—where audiences generate their own energy, tickets are tattoos, and "Diversity Optimization Gates" shape the experience.

N O R M A L S and Soyun Park will also lead a special workshop during the festival.

ISKRA VELITCHKOVA (ES/BG) – Generative Artist & Researcher

Iskra Velitchkova is a generative artist exploring the intersection of technology, data, and human intuition. With a background in data visualization and the philosophy of technology, her work raises the question: Can machines reveal deeper human truths?

• EDNŌ – A series created for the 10th anniversary of Unit London Gallery, in collaboration with Gucci.
• Horizon(te)s – A collaboration with Zach Lieberman, exploring new digital perspectives.
• ESCAPE – A solo exhibition at Tonic, New York, examining the role of digital art in contemporary society.

MARIEKE VAN ERP (NL) – AI & Digital Humanities Researcher

Marieke van Erp studies how artificial intelligence interacts with culture, history, and language. She leads the Digital Humanities Research Lab at the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and co-founded the Cultural AI Lab, developing AI systems that better understand the complexity of human culture.

• TRIFECTA (ERC Project) – How can AI track and connect narratives across time to map the evolution of ideas?
• Culturally Aware AI (AI:CULT) – Ensuring AI can handle the subjectivity of cultural heritage while remaining transparent and ethical.
• Odeuropa (Horizon 2020) – Using AI to trace how smell was described in historical texts and images across four centuries of European history.

EXHIBITIONS

Alongside inspiring lectures, SHAPESHIFT 2025 will feature three major exhibitions and immersive experiences:

“Radical Imaginations” – a group exhibition showcasing exceptional works by:

• Constantin Prozorov {DE/FR}
• Iskra Velitchkova {ES/BG}
• Futures Garden: A selection of works from the visionary platform redefining the future of policymaking in Europe, merging speculative design, creativity, and analytical insight.
• Dialogue with the Deep Space: An interactive installation featuring images from deep space and dark matter research, based on photographs from the European Space Agency’s Euclid space mission.

THE SHAPESHIFT PARTY!

The festival wouldn’t be complete without a massive closing party—stay tuned for the lineup and location details!

Tickets are available now → shapeshiftfestival.com

THREE DAYS WHERE ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

A festival that dares to reimagine the world differently. SHAPESHIFT 2025 isn’t just an event—it’s a social conversation you don’t want to miss.

Each full pass grants access to all talks, one workshop of your choice, the film program, exhibitions, and the closing party. Secure your spot now!