Today we’d like to introduce you to Shozab Raza

Hi Shozab, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

I’ve always found myself in a state of ambiguity, particularly when it came to my career choices. I was born in Sialkot, an industrial town in Pakistan, where pursuing art as a career was rarely considered an option. I initially studied pre-engineering but soon realized that my childhood passion for drawing was pulling me toward art school. This led me to Lahore, where I earned my BFA in Design from the National College of Arts.
After graduation, I began my journey as a graphic designer and mural painter in the commercial sector, working with renowned brands such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and KFC. However, I realized I wanted more—specifically, to explore the intersection of design and technology. This pursuit brought me to Boston, where I earned an MFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
I am now an educator, currently teaching at MassArt and Boston University, freelancing as a designer, and exhibiting my work in galleries and shows across Boston and Cambridge. Recently, I performed at MIT Theater Arts, as part of Boston Tech Poetics’ “Stagehack” event, and looking forward to many more.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

The road has certainly not been smooth, but each struggle has shaped me into the person I am today. Growing up as the son of a factory owner in Pakistan, I was constantly surrounded by machinery, raw materials, and the gritty realities of manufacturing. The scent of trichloroethylene and the sight of blacksmiths at work were part of my everyday life. While this might not sound like the ideal creative upbringing, it taught me to appreciate intricate machinery and industrial environments. This experience deeply influenced my affinity for technology and how I approach my work today.
On the other hand, my personal life presented a different challenge. As a member of the Shia community, I had a complicated relationship with the visceral, emotional side of human experience, particularly during Ashura, where self-flagellation is a common practice. I vividly remember a moment in 2009 when a splash of blood landed on my face during the ritual. This intense experience created tension within me, making it difficult to connect with the practice emotionally, yet it left an unconscious imprint on my creative work. The rawness of blood, the human body, and the contrast with the mechanical world I grew up in became recurring themes that shaped my artistic expression.
These struggles—balancing industrial, technical influences with visceral, human themes—have fueled my creative journey. They’ve pushed me to explore how we connect emotionally with machines and technology while also grappling with the rawness of the human experience in my design practice.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

I see myself as a ‘split-personality’ designer.
By day, I’m a Visual Designer, developing strong brand identities, websites, illustrations, and digital products for individuals and corporations. By night, I am a Creative Technologist, who writes, designs interactive installations, and creates sensory-rich experiences featured in art exhibitions and performances as part of my design and research practice.
My work has been featured at the Boston Cyberarts Gallery, the Ray and Maria Stata Center at MIT, MassArt x SoWa, Piano Craft Gallery, and the Cambridge Art Association. In October 2023, I hosted my inaugural solo exhibition, *Material Nature*, at the Godine Family Gallery. I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with renowned brands such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, KFC, Legendary Pictures, Paramount Pictures, and Universal Music. My award-winning performances have been showcased at MIT Theater Arts, the Lahore Arts Council, the New England Conservatory, and the Brookline Public Library.
The key to my success has been learning from the many failures I’ve encountered along the way, as well as building meaningful connections with people. I love meeting like-minded individuals and continuously learning from them, which has opened up new opportunities and created space for my growth.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?

What matters most to me is exploring the evolving relationship between humans and machines, and how this interaction shapes our understanding of the world. My vision is to design machines that breathe, adapt, and exhibit organic traits—what I call “Low-Resolution Beings.” These creations aim to blur the lines between the synthetic and the organic.
As humans, we are essentially biological machines. We exchange information, adapt, evolve, and repair ourselves—much like the machines we create. With each technological advancement, the boundary between humans and machines becomes less distinct. This unspoken intimacy between the two fascinates me. Are we just machines made of flesh, or can machines also be seen as living entities? Do they think, adapt, and evolve like we do? Can we call a machine a being?
These are the questions that drive my work, and I will dedicate my life to exploring them. Through my practice, I create interactive surfaces, objects, spaces, and experiences that invite reflection on our relationship with technology. My “Low-Resolution Beings” act as metaphors for a speculative future—one where the divide between humans and machines, between bits and atoms, may finally blur.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shozabraza.design
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shozabraza.design
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shozabraza