How we Transformed our Office into an Art Gallery

Could an ordinary office become a vibrant, creative art lab overnight? Absolutely – we made it happen right here at CoinGate!

Recently, our workspace underwent an incredible metamorphosis—from a typical office to a lively, self-made art gallery, thanks to a collaboration with Faktura Art Studio.

Here’s how it all happened.

Sparking the Idea From a Chance Encounter

Sometimes, the best ideas come spontaneously. That was exactly the case when Dmitrijus Borisenka, our company’s founder, met artist Ervinas Blažys from Faktura Art Studio. 

What began as a casual conversation quickly turned into an idea for a passionate experiment: to bring in some creativity into CoinGate’s office spaces and turn it into a thriving art hub.

Working with Ervinas Blažys from Faktura offered a profound dive into deeper levels of artistic creation. Over four weeks, artworks were created within our office environment. This allowed pieces to emerge as collective, aesthetic works, influenced by visitors and in turn influencing the artist. This collaboration will become a hallmark of our company identity and embody our ideals of adapting to the ever-changing flux.

Dmitrijus Borisenka.

The Artist’s Perspective: Ervinas Blažys and the Birth of an Idea

Behind every innovative project lies a personal story, and for artist Ervinas from Faktura Art Studio, his journey into art was both unexpected and deeply personal. Initially a project manager working with IT processes, Ervinas found art almost accidentally—through meditation and paper cutting.

Four or five years ago, I was working as a project manager, dealing primarily with IT processes. After long workdays, I desperately wanted to meditate. But meditation requires focusing your mind, emotions, and surroundings into one spot, which was challenging for me. So, instead, I began cutting paper.

This seemingly simple act sparked his artistic journey, later evolving into Faktura Art Studio—a joint endeavor he shares with his partner Justina.

Justina, my partner (and our cat’s co-owner!), wrote her bachelor’s thesis about accidental facturas. That’s how our name ‘Faktura’ originated, and it stuck ever since.

Meeting Dmitrijus and Embracing the Unexpected

When Ervinas met Dmitrijus, something immediately clicked, setting the stage for this unique collaboration:

When I first met Dmitrijus, I quickly sensed he was different. He struck me as someone who truly appreciates art—not just a businessman who collects art but someone deeply engaged with it. I’ve encountered many businesspeople interested in art or in people in general, but Dmitrijus stood out in the way he spoke and thought about art.

This mutual appreciation and understanding sparked an unexpected idea from Dmitrijus—transforming CoinGate’s everyday office into an experimental art gallery.

Ervinas remembers the moment vividly:

Dmitrijus offered us the challenge of turning his office into an artistic space. It sounded unusual, but intriguing. Justina and I embraced this challenge. And that’s how we ended up here.

What began as an experimental idea soon flourished into a weeks-long creative journey—transforming CoinGate’s workspace, inspiring its team, and reminding everyone involved of art’s powerful presence in everyday life.

A Series of Workshops to Discover our Creative Selves

Slowly but surely, the office space around us started changing. Some tables and chairs were moved, and some things were brought in. Empty spaces were filled with tools, machinery and materials, and various other things many couldn’t wrap their heads around at first. 

It was all in preparation for the grand exhibition. But first, our team was invited to participate in a series of hands-on workshops. 

These workshop sessions encouraged everyone, regardless of artistic background, to tap into their creativity, explore new techniques, and bond through shared experiences in prepared open office space.

Workshop 1: Collaborative Collage Art

This workshop reminded us all that creativity isn’t just for artists—it’s about expressing ideas in innovative, unexpected ways. And so, team members explored their creative personalities through a fun self-exploration test, later working together to create unique collage artworks.

Greta, our graphic designer, enjoyed the nostalgic atmosphere:

I felt like I was back in school, in an art class. At the beginning, we took a personality test and worked with those who got similar results. The Art Lab artists gave us advice, showed available tools and materials, but didn’t interfere much, letting us experiment freely.

Eglė, our UX designer, found joy in rediscovering an old technique:

I enjoyed the workshop. It was fun remembering the collage technique. It fits perfectly in a work environment because everybody can handle paper pieces, have fun, and really create something unique. They guided us through the entire process.

Workshop 2: The Magic of Cyanotype Printing

Our second workshop introduced the fascinating cyanotype printing technique—an artistic method relying on UV light to produce captivating prints.

Monika, our UX/UI designer, was impressed by the process:

The workshop was pretty cool. We used markers and paint to create stencil-like designs, exposed them to UV light, and transferred them onto paper with special chemicals. It was exciting to see how different papers reacted, and how our simple drawings transformed into beautiful, greenish-blue toned prints.

Greta’s experience was playful and experimental:

We created drawings based on Faktura symbols, coated paper sheets with chemicals, and exposed them to UV light—almost like ‘baking’ art in an oven. The process created unique stamp-like prints. We had some trial and error moments, but it was a fun learning experience.

The Result: Art Takes Over CoinGate’s Office

After weeks of anticipation, our ordinary workspace became an immersive art gallery—for one memorable night only.

Guests—including colleagues, friends, and family—enjoyed a unique atmosphere complemented by live electronic music, a pop-up bar, and an after-party, enriching the entire experience.

Monika noted the dramatic transformation:

It was cool to see the whole office transformed. The final artworks shone beautifully with the thoughtfully planned exhibition.

Eglė was pleasantly surprised:

The exhibition was really well put together—honestly, I didn’t expect it to come together so seamlessly! It was amazing to finally see everything in its final form after a month of artists working in our office. Even those initially skeptical, thinking it was just ‘something kids do in kindergarten,’ were impressed. One highlight was an experimental music performance with modular synthesizers, adding a unique, immersive feeling to the evening.

The art event was not just visually inspiring. The experimental music performance using modular synthesizers created a truly immersive experience, elevating the evening to something remarkable and unforgettable.

Jūratė, our company’s HR, emphasized the evolution of the workspace itself:

Artists mentioned it wasn’t easy working in our office initially, as there were already some paintings and items in place. They first focused on empty spaces. Dmitrijus noted how dramatically the office evolved—from a dull space packed with tires and cabinets to an inspiring place where art now thrives. From the comments I heard, ‘Sky Scissors’ became everyone’s favorite artwork.

Breaking the Barrier Between Art and Everyday Life

Beyond celebrating creativity, this event aimed to dismantle mental barriers around art. As Dmitrijus explained:

In our part of the world, artwork is often stigmatized as unnecessary. People perceive galleries as exclusive spaces, separating ordinary people from those who can afford such luxuries. Many feel galleries are like luxury stores, where entering means an obligation to spend, understand, and appreciate something you might not truly value. These perceived commitments discourage engagement with art. But these barriers are purely mental. By inviting art into everyday spaces, specifically the office, we aim to break these barriers and inspire people to embrace art as part of daily life.

Indeed, transforming an everyday environment into an art gallery vividly demonstrated that art isn’t confined to traditional spaces. Instead, it can flourish where people spend their days, creating connections and fostering creativity.

Crypto and Art: Complementary Innovations

The CoinGate office transformation is a vivid example of how art and innovation naturally intersect—a connection evident in other places as well.

Take Ghost Galerie as an example. The renowned art gallery began accepting cryptocurrency payments in response to growing demand from clients eager to merge their artistic interests with innovative payment methods. As their CEO, Stéphane Miquel, puts it:

Since 2022, we’ve seen rising interest from clients who wanted to use cryptocurrency for art purchases. CoinGate offered exactly what we needed—a reliable, intuitive partner whose integration was effortless. Accepting crypto payments allows us to reach a new audience—enthusiastic, crypto-oriented art lovers who see art as both passion and investment.

Another notable intersection is artist TABBY’s “Bitcoin$” street artwork, created in 2013. Originally sold for 0.1 BTC, this artwork combined art and crypto into an experiment whose value increased dramatically over the past decade.

1/5 To celebrate #crypto adoption, @urbanshit has released a limited edition of the “Bitcoin$” artwork, signed by artist TABBY.

Let’s learn the story behind the #Bitcoin inspired canvases. 👇 pic.twitter.com/KVEpxn9zZi

— CoinGate (@CoinGatecom) December 7, 2023

Even today, the artwork contains the untouched original BTC, marking a fascinating early interaction between digital value and tangible creativity.

Art That Inspires and Connects

Through collaborative workshops, an unforgettable exhibition, and meaningful engagement, our  art initiative proved a powerful point: art and creativity belong to everyone, everywhere.

Our journey transformed a familiar workspace into a hub of inspiration, collaboration, and creativity. More importantly, it inspired us all—proving that great ideas are born from open minds, collaboration, and the courage to do something entirely different.

We’ll continue to embrace and celebrate the exciting intersections between technology, creativity, and community, inspiring everyone to see their everyday spaces—and even themselves—in entirely new, creative lights.