Shahwali Shayan is a London-based Pakistani creative technologist and multidisciplinary artist. His practice is at the intersection of art, technology and critical storytelling. He explores the use of augmented reality as a subversive tool and as an artistic medium for creative expression.

Inspired by intensive autoethnographic research, his practice echoes Dadaist influences. Intrigued by 3D-scanned objects and the transformation of handmade art into digital artifacts, his work aims to explore and reshape perceptions of the mundane. This passion has led to the creation of multiple AR art installations worldwide, spanning cities like London, Paris, and Berlin. These installations provoke discourse on art, inviting viewers to question and engage with the creative process through immersive experiences.

Additionally, he also shares his expertise as an AR educator and lecturer at the Royal College of Art with the next generation of artists and technologists.

Through his creative studio, Shahnanigans, he has delivered AR campaigns for world renowned companies that have accumulated billions of views for brands like Samsung, Disney, Netflix, Adobe, Hugo Boss, Sony Music and many others.

Collaborating closely with Snapchat's philanthropy team, Shahwali has led numerous workshops aimed at introducing students from disadvantaged backgrounds to the world of augmented reality. Furthermore, he has also spearheaded an outreach initiative in Pakistan with a primary focus on enhancing educational accessibility in the realms of Augmented Reality (AR) and creative technology.

Beyond AR, Shahwali has also expanded his practice to create immersive audio-visual art which was shown at Frameless, one of London's biggest immersive galleries, as a part of a three month residency. His work has also been shown at SXSW in 2023 and 2024.