Biography
French artist Kay Quattrocchi has spent more than four decades exploring the relationship between perception, consciousness, science and the invisible structures of nature.
2026
Her work is featured in a solo exhibition at Spirit Art Space, Saint Barthélemy.
“Magnetic”, April 2026, Spirit Art Space, Saint Barthélemy
She is also participating in the group exhibition ‘Vibrance: Forged in Time’ at Thomsen Gallery, New York, representing Saint Barthélemy in this international exhibition.
2024 – 2025
She develops four major solo shows in collaboration with the Villas of the 5-star Hotel Barthélemy and Spa.
Exhibition @ Villas of the Barthélemy Hotel & Spa
2022
She becomes the first St. Barth artist to enter the NFT space with KQuasars, a collection of works based on black holes and quasars, representing her lifelong fascination with the universe.
2021
She undertakes a trip to Polynesia on behalf of the president of St Barthélemy, to offer a trophy representing the sails to the president of French Polynesia.
2020
Doctor Bruce Lipton dedicates a “Spotlight” to her, and on her research on the Universe and Consciousness.
2019
Between Art and Science : A retrospective of her entire career is presented in the Museum of St. Barthelemy. Invited physicist Philippe Guillemant and Quattrocchi organize a kind of game that allows participants to understand the tools of consciousness through synchronicities.
2017
She registers the patent for “The Wall of Light”. A sculpture concept that combines multi dimensionality, painting and light and can also be used as room dividers or to illuminate pools or exterior spaces.
Quattrocchi realizes and donates a “Wall of Light” sculpture on behalf of the President of St Barthélemy to his Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco. It get’s installed in front of the City Hall of Gustavia.
2016
Her painting Le Createur du Monde is sold in Auction at Cornette de Saint Cyr
2015
She participates in charitable actions for the WWF, in favor of Tigers. This is a collaboration with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and Sir Stelios Haji Ioannou Philantropic Foundation.
2014
Caritative Exhibition for the Heart Fund at the Hotel Carl Gustav in St Barth.
2013
Her first exhibition featuring astrophysics paintings called “Neutrinos & Bosons” is shown at the Christopher Hotel in Saint Barthélemy. Interview with Panos Charitos at Cern.
Interview with Kay Quattrocchi by Panos Charitos for ALICEMATTERS @ CERN
by Panos Charitos. Published: 20 June 2013
Kay Quattrocchi is an artist passioned about the Universe and inspired by the latest discoveries unveiling some of its secrets. For Kay “Learning, discovering and opening our minds to other dimensions than those imposed by our five senses” is a source of motivation. Her work is “Allowing your mind to feel the immense joy of being there and trying to understand the universe”. Sharing her time between St Barthélemy (French West Indies) and New York, Kay is planning future exhibitions in Chelsea in NY and in the East Hamptons while she also has more ambitious plans for an exhibition in the Middle East and also for a project with CERN.
Kay has been inspired from the first ALICE results from the proton-lead run and painted a number of portraits of ALICE which she kindly shared in the ALICE_Experiment page on facebook. In this interview we discuss how inspiration from particle physics drives her work and her future plans.
1) Have you always been interested in science?
I’ve always been attracted to science, particularly physics, since I was very young. My mother taught me painting at the age of 7. I think that I was also inspired by my father who was an engineer in civil engineering.
In 1969 after 11 years of living in Saïgon we returned to France and growing up between the world of war, cement and art gave me a clear-minded observer, philosopher and artistic spirit.
In 1969 Armstrong put his foot on the moon. After all these images of war during my childhood, where human intelligence was at the service of death and destruction, that small step was a declic for me and my vision of the human being. It seemed like a hope of peace, a hope of discovering the silent universe.
The discoveries of Einstein and nuclear tests have impressed me. Especially the chance to give or take life with such small particles. I started to read, seek and discover the world and its mysteries at this point in my child’s mind until today It is natural that the infinitely small world attracts me. What our senses can not pick, but our intellect can apprehend.
Proton-lead collisions with ALICE as “seen” by Kay Quattrocchi.
2) How did you decide to explore particle physics in your work?
Following my readings, I needed to get closer to neutrinos, the particles that pass through us, and we do not see. As an artist I am still a layman, even if I study, my work is essentially a try to interpret and feel the spirit of physical particles. I read and watch interviews, visualize equations and let my mind get in shape and colour. When I feel it all, a sort of pictorial bridge between the visible and the invisible emerges!
Alice 2 by Kay Quattrocchi
3) When did you hear about ALICE and how did you decide to work on “title of your work”?
A few years ago (about 10 years) I decided to give the name of Alice in several of my paintings in relation to the heroine of the novel by Lewis Carroll, who goes to a world of multiple possibilities.
When I got interested in CERN, I discovered that the name of Alice existed and I wondered if the choice of this name was based on the same reasoning ? it also allowed me to see that many of my paintings were strangely similar to your experiments described or photographed. It was a decisive trigger that confirmed my desire to continue my researches and paint my feelings.
For me it felt that I had to follow the thread of Arianne and I could get closer with respect, humility and admiration for all those physicists who are researching and working for our future.
The Higgs boson by Kay Quattrocchi.
4) Which are your future plans?
In the future I would like to set up a project for a museum with bubble chambers. I have designed the project which is called “O” Program. Inside each bubble, visitors will be able to experiment with their 5 senses which is not possible in reality, since it is the “infinitely small’. However, for the time being I can’t tell you more.
Kay Quattrocchi exploring new “neutrinos worlds” through her paintings.
I have already draw the possible architecture with these bubbles chambers. (and describe what there is inside). I am enthusiast but I am not a dreamer. I am trying to calculate the cost to manufacture these bubbles chambers and everything will be inside so that people experience with their 5 senses the world in a different dimension where five senses experiment are not possible.
LHC Hommage 2
Find out more about Kay Quattrocchi’s work:
www.artprice.com
Source URL: http://alicematters.web.cern.ch/?q=KayQuattrocchi
Links
[1] http://alicematterss.web.cern.ch/?q=KayQuattrocchi
[2] https://mmm.cern.ch/owa/redir.aspx?C=UnyLzRi98kWoYdlNQi3TP4U_T1ukP9AIBfRTFsdp4dxXD2MBiOFCqoDqt_BgKQIEG9ZuefNA8bw.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.kayquattrocchi.com
[3] https://mmm.cern.ch/owa/redir.aspx?C=UnyLzRi98kWoYdlNQi3TP4U_T1ukP9AIBfRTFsdp4dxXD2MBiOFCqoDqt_BgKQIEG9ZuefNA8bw.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.artprice.com
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=488048031264148&set=a.323827181019568
2003
Quattrocchi paints the poster for the music festival of St. Barthelemy using her pointillism technique. The original painting sells at auction for the benefit of the Festival and was ultimately acquired by the artist herself.
2000
She sells her gallery and paints for stars and top models such as Izabelle Scorupco and Jeff Goldblum among others.
1994
She inaugurated her gallery ‘Espace 21’ and worked with ‘Maitre Pierre Cornette de Saint-Cyr’ on an exhibition of Modigliani, Picasso, Arman, Cesar, Leonor Fini, Chemiakin, Raoul Dufy, Marie Laurencin, and herself. She met at the time a very good friend of Madame Hillary Roddham Clinton and carried out a special commissioned order for a portrait of Madame Clinton. From this moment on, she painted many portraits using the pointillism technique.
1993
She arrived in Saint Barthelemy, French West Indies.
1991
Autumn Salon in Paris. Kay Quattrocchi meets with Michael Turovsky who tought her the technique of figure-abstraction. This, she says, was a great experience.
1990
The “Creole Marine” was acquired by the Museum of Martinique. La Marianne des DOM-TOM was presented at the Palais des Congrès in Paris, during the 73rd Congress of the Mayors of France, presided over by Jacques Chirac.
1989
For the bicentenary of the revolution, Kay Quattrocchi creates the “Marianne of the DOM TOM,” acquired by the president of Martinique’s local council who offered lithographies to Mr François Mitterrand and Mr Jacques Chirac. The “Marianne of the DOM TOM” was presented to the French television along with a song with 40 voices created by Kay Quattrocchi and harmonized by Mr Laouchez.
In 1989 the painting ‘Le porteur de pierre‘ by Kay Quattrocchi was selected and printed on a stamp as part of the philatelic collection of French Polynesia.
1988
The Polynesian government and the experts in the art of stamps from the French Post Offices chose one of her works to be presented in the international philatelic collection: the “Stone Carrier” exhibited at Paris’ Porte de Versailles.
1983 – 1988
Kay Quattrocchi traveled and showed her work in many countries and exhibitions such as Paraguay, Isla de Pasqua, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and Tahiti. For two years she was the creator and presenter of a program for the French TV, during which time she also performed in two movies. She completed many drawings that depicted Polynesian traditions such as tattoos, dance, etc., and met with Paul Emile Victor who was her hero as a young girl and with whom she made exhibitions. She also met with Joel Blanchard who was a student of Dali and became her tutor.
1979 – 1983
She lives in Brazzaville, Congo
1978
Kay sails on the legendary “Kriter”with Captain Pierre Daboussy and his best friend Alain Gliksmann. They travel to St Martin, Açores, Gibraltar, Ibiza, Sicile, Tunisie, Grece, Rhodos with Tahiti as the final destination.
1977
She lives in Brazzaville, Congo
1974 – 1977
She lives in Morocco
1972 – 1973
She lives in Brazzaville, Congo
1970 – 1971
She lives in Ceylon, Sri Lanka
1968 – 1969
She lives in Martinique
1957 – 1968
She grew up in Saigon during the Vietnam war. Her father was an engineer and her mother an art teacher. She spent her first years of schooling at the Regina Mundi School, “Les Oiseaux” in Saigon.
1957
Kay Quattrocchi was born in Africa and moved to Vietnam with her family when she was 9 months old.
Solo Exhibitions
2026
Spirit Art Space – Gustavia, Saint Barthélemy, Director: Claudia Carpenter
2023-2024
Pop up Gallery at Villas of the 5-star Hotel Barthélemy and Spa
2019
Rétrospective at the Musée Territorial (St Barthélemy)
1995
L’Espace 21 Gallery (Saint-Barthelemy)
1994
“Galerie des Arts” (Saint-Barthelemy)
1993
Maho beach (Saint-Martin)
1992
Lafitte trade show la Batelière (Martinique)
1991
Exhibition of “La Marianne” at the Palace of Congress Paris, 73rd congress of the mayors of France presided by Mr. Jacques Chirac
Botanical Gardens of Montréal
1989
Exhibition of “La Marianne” Impératrice Hotel (Martinique) broadcasted on RFO Martinique
1987
Rétrospective Sofitel Tiare Mooréa (Tahiti)
1986
“Galerie des Formes” Monterey (USA)
1985
Yamanaka Gallery (Japan)
1984
Gallery 21 Sydney (Australia)
1982
Cataratas de Iguaçu (Brazil)
1979
Hinatea Gallery (Tahiti)
Group Exhibitions
2026
Vibrance: Forged in Time, Thomsen Gallery, 8 East 67th Street, New York; July 2–14, 2026
1989
Centre of the Arts (Guadeloupe) presentation of La Marianne
1988
Exhibition of the stamp “Le Porteur de Pierre” Porte de Versailles (Paris)
1986
Vaimantic gallery with Paul Emile Victor
1984
OTAC 150 painters for the Festival of Oceania
1983
Fare Manihini with Johel Blanchard (Tahiti)
Museums
- Heritage museum Tahiti for the stamp “Le Porteur de Pierre”
- Heritage museum of the Antilles (Creole Marine)
- Local Council of Martinique “La Marianne des DOM TOM”