SHAPESHIFT Festival 2025: Radical Imaginations

As technology evolves, economies shift, and societies face unprecedented challenges, the future feels more unpredictable than ever. SHAPESHIFT Festival returns for its third edition, Radical Imaginations, offering a fresh take on tomorrow—not through predictions, but through art, digital experiments, and immersive experiences. From April 25 to 27, Toplocentrala will become a hub for cutting-edge artists, researchers, and designers, pushing the limits of digital art, science, and technology.

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Constantin Prozorov (DE/FR) – Digital Artist

A master of digital collage, Prozorov blends haute couture, surrealism, and digital art in striking animated dreamscapes. His past collaborations include MONCLER, GUCCI, BMW, and LOUIS VUITTON.

• MONCLER Genius x Richard Quinn – A digital reimagining of Quinn’s signature floral prints with floating mythical creatures.

• LOUIS VUITTON #LOUIS200 – A digital time capsule celebrating 200 years of the brand, exhibited worldwide.

Soyun Park (KR/NL) – Artist, Educator & Researcher

A faculty member at the Netherlands Film Academy, Park explores the relationship between technology, human perception, and behavior.

• Shapeshifting with AI – A deep dive into identity and embodiment through generative AI.

• The Perfect Feed – A critical look at how social media algorithms shape reality.

Jorge Christie (CL/DE) – Sustainable Architecture & Biomaterials Expert

Founder of Strong by Form, Christie pioneers wood-based biocomposites as a sustainable alternative to concrete and steel.

• Woodflow Technology – Digital modeling that enhances wood’s natural strength.

• Collaborations with BMW & Deutsche Bahn – Developing next-gen eco-friendly infrastructure.

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

A collective rethinking the future of society, technology, and cultural experiences.

• INWARDS – A visionary audiovisual series exploring a post-consumerist world.

• Future Festivals – A radical reimagining of festivals as self-sustaining ecosystems.

Iskra Velitchkova (ES/BG) – Generative Artist & Researcher

Blending data visualization, AI, and human intuition, Velitchkova questions whether machines can reveal deeper human truths.

• EDNŌ – A collaboration with Gucci for the 10th anniversary of Unit London Gallery.

• Horizon(te)s – Exploring digital landscapes with Zach Lieberman.

• ESCAPE – A solo exhibition at Tonic, New York.

Marieke van Erp (NL) – AI & Digital Humanities Researcher

Director of the Digital Humanities Research Lab at the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.

• TRIFECTA (ERC Project) – Using AI to map the evolution of ideas across time.

• Culturally Aware AI (AI:CULT) – Ensuring AI understands cultural nuances.

• Odeuropa (Horizon 2020) – AI-powered analysis of historical texts on scent and memory.

EXHIBITIONS & IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES

Radical Imaginations – A group exhibition featuring:

Constantin Prozorov (DE/FR)
Iskra Velitchkova (ES/BG)
Futures Garden – Speculative design meets policymaking.
Dialogue with the Deep Space – An interactive installation featuring images from the European Space Agency’s Euclid Mission.

THE SHAPESHIFT PARTY

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

Tickets available now → shapeshiftfestival.com

Three days where anything is possible. SHAPESHIFT 2025 isn’t just an event—it’s a global conversation about creativity, technology, and the human experience.

Each full pass includes:
✔ Access to all talks & panels
✔ One workshop of your choice
✔ Entry to exhibitions & film screenings
✔ Closing party access

Join us from April 25–27 at Toplocentrala, Sofia, and explore a future shaped by radical imagination.

About SHAPESHIFT Festival

Organized by Next DC, SHAPESHIFT Festival is a three-day journey through the intersection of art, innovation, and human potential. This year’s theme, Radical Imaginations, invites us to reimagine the world—because the future begins with the ideas we dare to explore today.