2025
CURATORS
Teodora Konstantinova
Radoslav Mehandzhiyski
‘In a world of accelerated urbanization and digital oversaturation, the Made in Leshten project offers not an escape, but a return — to nature, to silence, to the primordial rhythm of existence. For а fourth year, a group of young visual artists withdrew for a two-week residency in the village of Leshten, where time thickens and the senses sharpen. There, nature is not merely a background — it is a partner, a material, a conversational companion of thought...
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2023
CURATOR
Micol Ap
YOU TOPIA was an all-female group exhibition presented by The NFT Gallery (Elsewhere art) in collaboration with VerticalCrypto Artin honor of International Women's Day.
Curated by Micol Ap, this showcase runs from March 8 to March 12, 2023, simultaneously in two global art capitals: London (5-7 Dover St, London W1S 4LD, UK) and New York (88 Clinton Street, New York, NY 10002, US)...
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2022
CURATOR
Micol Ap
On January 19th, VerticalCrypto Art (VCA), an innovative artist-first community and media hub founded in July 2020, ran a cross-chain NFT fundraising auction in Arium Spaces to support the second cohort of the crypto art residency program for emerging artists.
A custom metaverse-build inspired by outdoor festivals such as Burning Man, was created specifically for this auction by two of the residency’s artists: Mical Noelson and BoryaXYZ with Creative Direction by Lisa Kolb...
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2021
CURATOR
Simeon Chakarov
The exhibition ‘Alternatives’ displayed the best work done by Borya Shapshalova for a selected period of one month...
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2019
CURATOR
Yin Aiwen
This exhibition emerges from the collaborative investigations of Narva Urban Lab, an ongoing exploration of urban processes and transformations within Narva's unique landscape.
Initiated through the partnership of Narva Art Residency and Ruumiringlus, the exhibition presents works developed during the international spring school "(RE)Configuring Territories" (May 6-12), curated by Helsinki's Trojan Horse initiative...
Initiated through the partnership of Narva Art Residency and Ruumiringlus, the exhibition presents works developed during the international spring school "(RE)Configuring Territories" (May 6-12), curated by Helsinki's Trojan Horse initiative...
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Shapshalova has also exhibited her digital and new media art at multiple blockchain-specific events: NFT Liverpool (2022), PROOF OF PEOPLE (2022), Enter The Betaverse (2022), NFT Paris (2023), ETH BUcharest (2025), ETH Sofia (2025) and others.
X
CONTACT
Borya Shapshalova (b. 1989, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria), aka BoryaXYZ, is a Sofia-based intermedia artist working across abstract digital painting, metaverse architecture, and sculpture.
Shapshalova’s practice investigates the complex relationships between human consciousness and the various constraints—societal, self-imposed, corporate, and familial—that shape our experience and potentially obscure our intrinsic nature. BoryaXYZ is best known for her metaverse environments that invite playful exploration of digital realms, alternative communication technologies, and the native curation and experience of digital art.
Borya has exhibited her works in the UK, France, the USA, Germany, Spain, Estonia, Finland, Vietnam, Bulgaria as well as at various specialized events in the field of blockchain and digital arts, and her works are in private collections worldwide.
Shapshalova’s practice investigates the complex relationships between human consciousness and the various constraints—societal, self-imposed, corporate, and familial—that shape our experience and potentially obscure our intrinsic nature. BoryaXYZ is best known for her metaverse environments that invite playful exploration of digital realms, alternative communication technologies, and the native curation and experience of digital art.
Borya has exhibited her works in the UK, France, the USA, Germany, Spain, Estonia, Finland, Vietnam, Bulgaria as well as at various specialized events in the field of blockchain and digital arts, and her works are in private collections worldwide.
UACEG
Sofia, Bulgaria
2009-2014
Architecture Foundation
Varna Free University
Varna, Bulgaria
2008-2009
Diploma in Fine Art, Spec.Printmaking
National Humanitarian High School
Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
2003-2008
VCA Residency
Online and in the Metaverse
2022-2023
Project Manager, Metaverse Producer
VerticalCrypto Art
remote and on-site in London UK and Paris FR
2022-2023
Leader
Summer Art Education Camps for Children
Vietnam
2015
Instructor
Contemporary Dance & Somatic Art Workshop ‘Breath and Sound in the Context of Touch’
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2013
Moshtanska Kushta Gallery
Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
2021
RESIDENT ALIEN
MOVE.BG
Sofia, Bulgaria
2019
AeonMapping1.0
Atelieto
Sofia, Bulgaria
2017
John Atanasoff Forum, Sofia Tech Park
Sofia, Bulgaria
2025
MADE IN LESHTEN Vol.4
Little Bird Place
Sofia, Bulgaria
2025
Curated Exhibition of Digital Art at ETHBucharest
Biblioteca Naţională a României
Bucharest, Romania
2025
YouTopia
Elsewhere (The NFT Gallery)
London, UK and New York, USA
2023
NFT Paris Official Curation
Grand Palais
Paris, France
2023
Enter the Betaverse
betahaus
Sofia, Bulgaria
2022
PROOF OF PEOPLE
fabric
London, United Kingdom
2022
NFT Liverpool Official Selection
Adelia Art Gallery
Liverpool, United Kingdom
2022
VerticalCryptoArt Residency Auction + Exhibition
The Metaverse [link]
2022
(Re)configuring Territories
Narva Art Residency
Narva, Estonia
2019
Коледни бъркотии
Sabai Gallery
Sofia, Bulgaria
2018
Puppyish & Friends
City Gallery
Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
2018
EXPERIMENTO
13th IN THE PALACE International Short Film Festival
Sofia, Bulgaria
2015
theHARD+theSOFT
Vitosha Boulevard
Sofia, Bulgaria
2014
Subway Station No. 22
Vitosha Boulevard
Sofia, Bulgaria
2014
Wrappings
Vlaykova Cinema
Sofia, Bulgaria
2013
Kuki Wonderland
Suvilahti Cultural Center
Helsinki, Finland
2012
Annual Graduation Show
Blagoevgrad City Gallery
Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
2008
Jeanne
Geo Milev Theater
Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
2007
Soul of a Violin
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2006
Occasion for Murder
Blagoevgrad, Kavarna and Plovdiv Bulgaria
2005
‘Made in Leshten vol.4’
press coverage
[link] [pdf]
Velin Manov (2025)
‘Ново поколение в съвременното изкуство в изложбата Made in Leshten vol.4’
(’A new generation of contemporary art at the exhibition Made in Leshten Vol.4’)
Bulgarian National Radio
[link]
Filipa Ivanova Ognianova (2022)
“Професия: NFT артист - Работи в бъдещето” (‘Profession: NFT Artist - Working in the Future’)
interview for Bulgarian National Television
[link]
Mircho Hristov (2022)
“Творческият колектив „На улицата“ отвори темата за дигиталните изкуства в града на липите”
(‘The creative collective "On the Street" opened the topic of digital arts in the city of linden trees’)
dolap.bg
[link]
Art Plugged (2022)
‘VerticalCrypto Art Residency Program Announces Multi-chain NFT Auction’
[Link] [PDF]
Ricko Leung (2022)
“From Cryptopunk to Crypto Patron”
Larry’s List
[link]
Harry Martin(2022)
“VerticalCrypto Art presents: Fundraising Auction Event for NFT-native Residency Program — on Wednesday, January 19th 2022”
Medium
[link]
Harry Martin (2022)
“VerticalCrypto Art Roundup: Saturday — January 22nd 2022”
Medium
[link]
Antoniya Kamenichka (2020)
“Боря Шапшалова - архитектът, чието призвание е да бъде ковач на бижута” (‘Borya Shapshalova - the architect whose calling is to be a jewelry blacksmith’)
Bulgarian National Radio
[link]
Unknown (2014)
“︎Интервю’ (‘Interview”)
Gradat Media Group
[link].
Varna Free University Art Collection
Borya Shapshalova is collected by private collectors in Bulgaria, Spain and USA.
Marie Forleo Foundation
New York, USA
2018
48h Sofia Film Challenge (winning team)
IN THE PALACE International Short Film Festival
Sofia,Bulgaria
2015
EASA Wastelands Open Call (selected)
EASA
Helsinki, Finland
2012
Leshten, Bulgaria
2025
VCA Residency Cohort 2
VerticalCrypto Art
The Metaverse
2021-2022
(Re)configuring Territories
Narva Art Residency
Narva, Estonia
2019
Condé Nast, 2018
[link]
Johana Blanc, ‘For reasons that can go from dramaturgical to technical’
Luxembourg, 2017
[link]
Borya Shapshalova, ‘Commercial Centers as a new public space’ , article
TheCity Weekly, 2014
Borya Shapshalova, ‘Office Space Solutions inspired by the employees’, article
TheCity Weekly, 2014
Borya Shapshalova, ‘Contemporary challenges in erecting office buildings’,article
TheCity Weekly, 2014
Borya Shaps halova, ‘Façade Engineering’ , article
TheCity Weekly, 2014
Last Updated 29 September 2025
2025
DIGITAL CHERGA is a body of work that was initiated during the MADE IN LESHTEN Vol.4 Artist Residency
I extracted the main colour palettes from the digital landscape I painted on site. Afterwards...
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2025
The body of work ’PIXEL-WOVEN LANDSCAPES’ presents a multimedia exploration of place, memory, and digital translation developed during my residency in Leshten, a remote mountain village in Bulgaria's Rhodope Mountains.
This body of work bridges the physical and digital realms, transforming the tactile experiences of an ancient landscape into contemporary new media art...
This body of work bridges the physical and digital realms, transforming the tactile experiences of an ancient landscape into contemporary new media art...
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2025
This collection of digital abstract paintings and its
accompanying autor metaverse space
explore the complex relationship between bodily existence and personal agency in our increasingly technological world.
Through vibrant digital compositions, "Body Autonomy" examines how our physical forms intersect with virtual spaces, creating new territories of selfhood and expression...
Through vibrant digital compositions, "Body Autonomy" examines how our physical forms intersect with virtual spaces, creating new territories of selfhood and expression...
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TIME TRAVEL FOR DUMMIES
2023
'TIME TRAVEL FOR DUMMIES' is a collection of 12 unique pieces inspired by Clifford Simak's book 'Time is the simplest thing' (published 1961) where a telepath accidentally acquires a powerful alien consciousness and must run to escape corporate assassins and angry mobs.
The artworks were initially created physically via methods of abstract expressionism. Materials used: latex, spray paint, cardboard, newspaper, plastic bags, industrial mesh. Then, the scanned artworks were given a digital generative treatment to present a fine pixelated effect visible when an artwork is viewed in detail...
The artworks were initially created physically via methods of abstract expressionism. Materials used: latex, spray paint, cardboard, newspaper, plastic bags, industrial mesh. Then, the scanned artworks were given a digital generative treatment to present a fine pixelated effect visible when an artwork is viewed in detail...
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2022
This collection explores consciousness research through technological mediation, positioning the artist's own body as both subject and material...
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2022
The series demonstrates how simple geometric primitives—spheres, grids, and basic shapes—can be transformed into complex organic-appearing structures through layered computational processes. By applying noise functions, fractal subdivision, and normal vector visualization, the artist creates works that oscillate between mathematical precision and biological suggestion...
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2022 - ongoing
Users can freely move around these 3D environments and approach others to initiate conversations naturally, without needing to manage breakout rooms or formal meeting structures.
The platform features spatial audio where conversations fade in and out based on proximity, mimicking real-world social dynamics and allowing for spontaneous interactions...
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2019
Created during the interdisciplinary research program (Re)configuring Territories, this body of work transforms found materials into wearable objects that embody the psychological and political complexities of statelessness...
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2018
sneaks a peek
into
the elusive communion of
Earth, Sky and Sea...
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2008 - 2017
Inner struggles, motivations, inspiration and emotional landscapes are what guide me in the selection of medium...
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2008
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info@borya.xyz
[Contact Form]