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Kat Quay

@katquay

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Season 2, The Shepherd, Detroit Sept 2026
Nik Pence Gallery July-Aug 2026
𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘞𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 AUS Airport March 2026
📍Metro Detroit Artist

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I’m Kat Quay, a Metro Detroit–based artist working at the intersection of sculpture, technology, and spatial perception. Born and raised in New Jersey, I received my BA in Art + Art History from Colgate University and my MFA in Sculpture + Extended Media from the University of Texas at Austin in 2017. I draw upon my multidisciplinary background spanning art, print production, and Big Data. Within my studio practice, I investigate how digital systems, typically invisible or immaterial, can be translated into physical form, disrupting conventional understandings of space. Through the integration of digital modeling, custom circuitry, LED systems, and materials such as glass, plexi, metal, and wood, I construct immersive installations that function as hybrid interfaces between physical and virtual environments.

My work explores the permeability between these realms, treating materiality as a spectrum that shifts between clarity and opacity, presence and illusion. By isolating and recombining elements such as color, surface, form, and light, I produce moments of slippage where distinctions between constructed and virtual realities dissolve.

I have previously exhibited at Socrates Sculpture Park, the UT Visual Arts Center, and in Mexico City and Angers, France and have participated in residencies at A-Z West, MASS MoCA, SOMA, and the Atlantic Center for the Arts. I was a 2018 nominee for the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Biennial Award and was recently selected to send an artwork into Low-Earth orbit through MIT Media Lab and NASA’s Earthlings project. My work has been featured by NPR, CBS, e-flux, Wood 8 TV (Grand Rapids), The Art Newspaper, among others and I have sat on panels at Ars Electronica and SXSWedu.

I serve my community as a board member of the Detroit Institute of Arts’ Founders Junior Council, but most importantly, I’m a daughter, wife, and mother of two incredible children.
📸 by @breannwhite
#katquay #katquayartist #detroitartist #detroitart #contemporaryart taken in Detroit, Michigan by @katquay

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3 months ago

Now that fabrication is underway, I’m excited to share the full rendering of 𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘞𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨, my first permanent public artwork that will be installed in the new West Gate Terminal Expansion at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)! Sitting over 20 feet above the ground, the 48 feet wide by 12 feet tall installation is composed of perforated stainless steel metal volumes arranged in varying dimensional form configurations.

𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘞𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 will be installed this coming August, and can be seen by the public in November 2025 when the West Gate Terminal Expansion officially opens.

Over the coming months, I’ll be sharing details about the origins and meaning of the installation, material choices/effects, and a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into planning and fabricating an artwork of this scale. In the meantime, I’d like to give thanks to the following teams below who have already given so much to this project (there will be more to add over the coming months!)

Artist: Kat Quay
Commissioned by Economic Development Cultural Arts Division, City of Austin
Location: Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
Early Austin Art in Public Places Sr. Project Manager: Curt Gettman
Current City of Austin Project Supervisor: Constance Y. White, Division Manager Art + Music
Current Austin Art in Public Places Coordinator, Sr: Alex Irrera
Conservation Review: Julie Unruh
Renderings + Project Scope Guidance through Final Design Approval: Bercy Chen Architects
Lighting Design Concept: Lux Populi
Engineering: StructuresPE
Production Drawings/Project Management: Alex Rosenhaus of Alex Drew & No One
Prototype and Final Fabrication: Stephen Marchio of Marchio Standard
Overall Steel Frame Fabrication: Hensel Phelps
Perforated Metal + Material Consultation: Ryan Farnon and Mike Grego of McNichols
Automated Cutting: Troy Laser

#katquay #spatialweaving #publicart #austinart #AUS #detroitartist taken in Austin Bergstrom Airport (AUS) by @katquay

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2 years ago

I began 2024 experiencing many firsts both as a new parent and an artist preparing for my first solo exhibition and leading into the fabrication phase of my first permanent public art commission. Each year I have phrase that I use as my guiding light and 2024’s was “Welcome the Challenge”. I’m excited to close 2024 on a fulfilling note and embrace what is to come in 2025. Wishing you all the best in the New Year!
#katquay #katquayartist #detroitartist #contemporaryart #contemporarysculpture #artandtech #lightart #3dprinting #publicart taken in Metro Detroit by @katquay

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2 years ago

It’s Wednesday, Let’s Dance!

I’m sharing a 360 perspective of “The Shedding (Detroit)” so people experiencing my work digitally get a better sense of what it’s like to view the installation in person. Freestanding at the center of the room, the installation creates a shifting visual field in which light, intentional depth, and pattern interact to produce a moiré effect, an optical phenomenon that causes the surface to appear in motion as viewers pass by. The layered construction of perforated steel and spatial depth evokes both the “shed” formation found in weaving and the interference patterns often perceived as “errors” on digital screens, reframing these visual disruptions as generative and perceptual experiences.

Many thanks to @stephen_marchio and @timmj for humoring me and providing the 💪 to make this reel happen.

📸 by Tim Johnson

#katquay #detroitartist #detroitart #sculpture #metalart taken in Detroit, Michigan by @katquay

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10 days ago

FJC BOARD HIGHLIGHT: KAT QUAY

This past weekend, Founders Junior Council board member and Detroit–based artist Kat Quay presented The Shedding (Detroit) at @season.contemporary , presented by @nikpencegallery

Working at the intersection of sculpture, technology, and spatial perception, Kat creates immersive installations that blur the boundaries between physical and virtual environments. The Shedding (Detroit) brought that practice to life at an ambitious scale, made possible through collaboration with Detroit-based artists, fabricators, and creative partners.

Kat’s practice extends far beyond Detroit. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, participated in residencies at MASS MoCA, A-Z West, SOMA, and Atlantic Center for the Arts, and was nominated for the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Biennial Award. Her work has also been selected for MIT Media Lab and NASA’s Earthlings project, sending artwork into Low-Earth orbit. Also when you step into Austin- Bergstrom International airport west gate , you’ll see her 48ft wide by 12ft installation Spatial Weaving!

We’re proud to highlight the incredible artists and cultural leaders who make up Founders Junior Council , Kat Quay. taken in Detroit, Michigan by @katquay

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22 days ago

Leading into the Season Fair, I had the pleasure of speaking with writer Roopa Chauhan @paris2detroit . Our conversation ranged from our backgrounds, politics, life post 9-11, and of course, art. I’ve returned several times this past weekend to the part of our discussion where I shared about the recent completion of my first permanent public artwork, “Spatial Weaving” at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas.

Roopa asked how I felt as an artist having artwork on display in a public space where it isn’t revered the same way as on a gallery or museum wall, as though it’s almost taken for granted. My knee jerk response was, “I’m totally fine with that, and I hope someday that art is prevalent enough for everyone to take it for granted.”

As an artist, I’ve always strongly believed in democratic access to art and recognized early on the significance of creating public artworks that people can unexpectedly encounter in their daily lives. I don’t believe one should solely experience art through intentional encounters or institutional visits. I hope one day that art is so publicly widespread that viewing it is no longer a privilege, but rather becomes a standard backdrop of daily life. 📸 @breannwhite

#katquay #publicart #spatialweaving #detroitartist #ausairport taken in Detroit, Michigan by @katquay

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25 days ago

This past weekend was a whirlwind! I’m so grateful to Amani and Aleiya of Olu & Company for bringing Season Contemporary to life. The camaraderie of participants was unmatched and an incredible demonstration of Detroit’s support for the art and design community. Many thanks to Nik Pence for trusting in my vision and presenting my newly completed artwork, “The Shedding (Detroit)” for Nik Pence Gallery’s first fair and Avie Linden for representing the piece/my vision so whole-heartedly. I’m also lucky to have Andi of Haus of Harris in my corner for many items including last minute copyediting, James Quay for always saving the day, and last but not least, Alex of Alex Drew & No One and Stephen of Marchio Standard for making it happen.

#katquay #seasonfair #nikpencegallery #detroitart #detroitartist taken in Detroit, Michigan by @katquay

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a month ago

The road to creating The Shedding (Detroit), my new installation presented by Nik Pence Gallery at Season Contemporary Fair involved planning and collaboration. From working with Alex Drew and No One to create renderings and production drawings, cutting at Troy Laser, fabrication with Marchio Standard, delivery to and installation at The Shepherd with Pence Fine Art Services, to final display with Nik Pence Gallery; sculpture at this scale is a team sport. I’m grateful to all my Detroit-based collaborators for their support, and to the Season Contemporary Fair team led by Amani Olu for creating an incredible event that underscores Detroit’s significant presence in contemporary art.

#katquay #seasonfair #nikpencegallery #detroitart #detroitartist taken in Detroit, Michigan by @katquay

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a month ago

Coming soon: my new installation, “The Shedding (Detroit)” presented by Nik Pence Gallery, will be debuting during the Season Fair at The Shepherd from September 11-13!

Some final details are being completed and then it will head out for install on Thursday.

#katquay #katquayartist #seasonfair #detroitart #seasonfairdetroit taken in Vander by @katquay

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a month ago

I’ve been thinking about my artwork, “ImageLayer_BlessYourHeart.tif” (Bluebonnets), that came down this week after being part of @nikpencegallery ‘s Summer Exhibition. The piece is part of my Image Layer series, in which each sculpture depicts a flower representative of a place I’ve lived. The “Bless Your Heart” portion of the title references the ambiguous Southern colloquialism and alludes to my experience of culture shock upon moving from New York City to attend grad school in Texas at the University of Texas at Austin. The Bluebonnet is the state flower of Texas and you would see fields of them while driving on the many Lone Star state highways.

ImageLayer_BlessYourHeart.tif
2024
Steel, plexi, glass, and 3D PLA prints
25”H x 24”W x 12”D

#katquay #katquayartist #texasart #detroitartist #detroitart taken in Detroit, Michigan by @katquay

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a month ago

I recently had the pleasure of collaborating with the incredible artist Bre’Ann White to capture new portraits with the anticipation of launching several artworks in the coming months. Andi Harris of Haus of Harris provided brilliant creative direction, and we had a fantastic afternoon of styling and shooting in downtown Detroit.

I’m grateful to Bre’Ann and Andi for highlighting myself and my studio practice in such a great light! I look forward to sharing the final images with all of you. #katquay #katquayartist #detroitartist #detroitart taken in Detroit, Michigan by @katquay

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3 months ago

Currently on view in a group exhibition at @nikpencegallery, ‘ImageLayer_Bless YourHeart.tif (Bluebonnet)’ continues @katquay’s exploration of the space between the digital and the physical.

Inspired by the familiar layers of photo-editing software, the work transforms a flat image into a sculptural experience. Textured glass acts as a digital “filter,” distorting 3D-printed florals set against an illuminated backdrop, inviting us to reconsider how we see and experience images.

See this work and more now at Nik Pence Gallery. Open Saturdays 12-6p or by appointment. taken in Franklin, Michigan by @katquay

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3 months ago