Yacine AIT KACI

SHORT BIO

Yacine Ait Kaci is a French visual artist and director. A pioneer of digital art, he founded the Electronic Shadow collective in 2000, which invented video mapping and produced numerous installations and shows. His character ELYX, created in 2011, became the first digital ambassador for the United Nations in 2015. In 2018, he co-founded the ELYX Foundation to promote the values of the United Nations.

His latest project, Archipel, is an immersive universe at the intersection of innovation, art, and activism, aiming to combine experience with impact.

Born in 1973 in Paris, France
Lives and works between Paris,FR and DUBAI, UAE

Yacine Aït Kaci is a digital artist, ambassador, and specialist in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He has been working in culture and innovation for over 25 years. Yacine is recognized as an international pioneer in digital arts. After creating the first digital content (CD-ROM/DVD-ROM) for the Centre Pompidou (1997), Yves-Saint-Laurent (1998), and the Louvre (1999), he founded the art and innovation collective Electronic Shadow (2000). They invented and patented 3D Video mapping (2003) and received numerous prestigious awards, such as Ars Electronica (2004), Laval Virtual (2004 and 2005), and became the first Europeans to win the Grand Prize in Art at the Japan Media Art Festival (2005). After numerous shows, exhibitions, and innovative projects, attracting hundreds of thousands of people, Electronic Shadow had a retrospective at the Granet Museum in Aix-en-Provence under the name “FUTURÉALISMES.

In 2011, Yacine developed a new artistic project that gained global success beyond the cultural scene: ELYX. ELYX proved that a fictional character can have an impact in real life through the hybridization of the real and the virtual. ELYX became widely famous worldwide for its joyful, universal, and non-verbal language and became the first and only digital ambassador for the United Nations. In 2015, ELYX embodied both the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals from their inception. In addition to culture and innovation, Yacine also became a specialist in societal transitions and change management, leading him to establish the ELYX Foundation in 2018 with Adeline PILON, an entrepreneur specialized in Art and Tech.

His approach to strategy and communication is about bridging cultures: the cultures of the world and also cultural forms, placing non-verbal communication at the core of his approach. Recently, Yacine was appointed a GoalKeeper by the Gates Foundation and a Spatian guide, along with the other top 20 designers of the Spatial metaverse, to which he made significant contributions. These recent appointments once again illustrate Yacine’s unique story and skills, his taste for innovation and transformation, all rooted in optimism and the pursuit of shared progress.

In 2024, the ELYX Foundation, in partnership, launches a coalition of stakeholders around a new project between art and impact : Archipel.

2025 – …
archipel

SOLO SHOW

2025

  • ARCHIPEL Genesis
    Polaris Centre d’Art, Istres
  • ARCHIPEL UNOC
    United Nations Ocean Conference, Nice
  • ARCHIPEL Odyssey
    in partnership with SOFITEL

    LIVE SHOW

    2025

    • ARCHIPEL LIVE GENESIS, featuring Stephan Haeri
      Polaris Centre d’Art, Istres
    • ARCHIPEL LIVE AI FRANCE SUMMIT
      AI France Summit, Paris

      COMMISSIONS

      • AI FRANCE SUMMIT, Art Direction and Animation

      2011 – 2024 …
      elyx

      SOLO SHOW

      2022

      • ELYX Para11e1 galerie 1111 , Lyon, Paris
      • ELYX Para11e1, Museo by Polycount, spatial.io, metaverse

      2021

      • Exhibition about SDG on the French Assembly, Paris, France

      2018

      • 70th Anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium
      • 70th Anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations, New-York, USA

      2016

      • 24h à Paris avec Elyx, exposition Bercy Village, Paris, France

      2015

      • Ambassadeur du sourire, galerie Colette, Paris, France
      • ELYX PARTY, exposition participative programmation COP21, Berges de Seine, France

      2014

      • ELYX PARTY, Hermès, salon del mobile, Milan, Italy
      • ELYX PARTY, Salon 1.618, Paris, France
      • ELYX, Galerie Bettina, Paris, France

      2013

      • 100 years: Albert Camus citizen of the world, a scenography journey, Cité du Livre, Aix-en-Provence, France

      GROUP SHOW

      2022

      • ELYX, pavilion Peace and Unity, spatial.io, metaverse

      2015

      • European Museum Night, Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris, France

      2013

      • ELYX in Seoul, Seoul, Korea

      LIVE SHOW

      2022

      • Metasia, with Astrig Sironossian as a guest artist, Fondation Bullukian, Lyon, France

      2016

      • Seeds, in collaboration with the choregrapher Carolyn Carlson, Palais de Chaillot, Paris, France
      • WE ARE ONE, musical show with the group RP3, France

      ARCHITECTURE

      2022

      • ELYX Museum, First-art customed space, spatial.io, Metaverse
      • ELYX TOWER, spatial.io, Metaverse

      PATENT

      2015

      • ELYX was named the First and unique United Nations digital Ambassador, by general secretary Ban Ki-moon

      AWARDS

      2022

      • Spatian Guides, award for the most creative and experienced designers in Metaverse on Spatial.io

      PUBLICATIONS

      • Bienvenue dans ton Monde, Prospective book for kids with ELYX, Nathan, 2016
      • ELYX, Ambassadeur du sourire, Le Chêne, 2015
      • The Global Goals with ELYX, UN Editions, 2015
      • Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UN Editions, 2015
      • TED X Speaker, Paris, France 2015
      • French institute for desirable futures, Speaker since 2014 

      2010-2012
      ELECTRONIC SHADOW

      SOLO SHOW

       

      2012

      • One Man One Tree, Rio+20, an interactive installation, Rio, Brazil
      • Eternal Sunset Lille 3000, art light projected on the facade of a building, Lille, France

      2010

      • Windows Experience, permanent Art installation in Microsoft headquarters, Issy-Les-Moulineaux, France
      • Futurealism, Musée Granet, Aix-en-Provence, France

      2006

      • FIAC Luxe!, les espoirs de la création, Comité Colbert, Carousselle du Louvre, Paris
      • Cézanne, Bastide du Jas de Bouffan, Aix-en-Provence, France

      2005

      • Hybrid Realities, Fondation Vasarely, Aix-en-Provence, France
      • Opening show, The Harlem, Tokyo, Japan

      2000

      • I-Skin 2, Musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris, France


      GROUP SHOW

       

      2008

      • BIACS, Sevilla Contemporary Art Biennal, Sevilla, Spain

      2007

      • Gongzen, Spors in art, MoCA, shanghai, China
      • Design Made, Seoul Arts center, Seoul, Korea
      • Nuit Blanche, Amiens Cathedral, Amiens, France
      • L’arbre blanc, Festival international du film de Cannes- Plage du Majestic, Cannes, France
      • Alchimies, Maison de l’architecture, Paris, France
      • File Rio, Centro Cultural Telemar, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
      • The troubled Waters of permeability, Parker’s Box gallery, New York, USA

      2006

      • Tasie, Art and Science Exhibition and Symposium, Beijing, China
      • File , SESIE, Sao Paulo, Brazil
      • Republique Libre du Design, French cultural center, Milano, Italy
      • Camera Obscura, poetic home control piece of furniture, Millan, Italy

      2005

      • Japan Media Art Festival, Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Tokyo, Japan
      • Salone Internazionale del Mobile, Boffi, Milano, Italy
      • Festival Mediarte, French cultural center, Monterrey, Mexico
      • Festival Videomedeja, Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro
      • Loading architecture, Kyberlab, Mexico City, Mexico
      • Plage du Majestic, Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, France
      • Oh! tour de l’eau, Carré des Jalles, Saint Médard en Jalles, France
      • 1.618, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France

      2004

      • Ars Electronica, OK Centrum, Linz, Austria
      • Ex-îles, INNOV’Art, Art Actuel-Vivendi, Paris, France
      • Ex-îles,Arborescence, Ecole supérieure d’art, Aix en Provence, France
      • 3 minutes², Cité des Sciences et de l’industrie, Paris, France
      • Archipel, Festival d’Art actuel, Bar le Duc, France
      • H20 et FOCUS, Designer’s days, Boffi, Paris, France
      • 3 minutes², Laval Virtual, Rencontres internationales de la Réalité Virtuelle, Laval, France
      • The Bride, Lille 2004, La Piscine- Musée d’Art et d’industrie de Roubaix, Roubaix, France
      • L’arbre d’image, non-linear video installation, TOKYO, Japan
      • Focus, interactive light installation, Fondation Vasarely, Aix-en-Provence, France
      • H2O, interactive video installation, Milano, Italy

      2003

      • Ex-îles, Voyages d’Artistes, Espace EDF Electra, Paris, France
      • Grammaire de l’Interactivité, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
      • Passe-muraille, Musée d’Art moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France

      2002

      • Design Zone, Loos Haus, Vienna, Austria

      2001

      • Workspheres, MoMA, New York, USA
      • V-Med, French cultural center, Palermo, Italy
      • V-Med, French cultural center, Helsinki, Finland
      • L’homme transformé, Cité des sciences, Paris France
      • Global Tools, KünstlerHaus, Vienna, Austria

      2000

      • La beauté en Avignon, Espace TRANSFO, Avignon, France


      ARCHITECTURE

       

      2006-2009

      • Frac Centre Competition, Museum Jakob MacFarlane in collaboration with Electronic Shadow

      2007

      • Panoramic Showroom, ST Dupont, architecture and design of the 200m² panoramic space, Paris, France
      • Bissextiles, interactive installation, the waterdrops, image and sound create a rhythmic ballet.
      • Mini-exiles, interactive water sculpture creating a new geography
      • L’arbre blanc, light sculpture
      • Vibrations, interactive water sculpture

      2002

      • The French cultural center of Palermo, architecture and design of the new 600m² space, Palermo, Italy

         

      LIVE SHOWS

      2010

      • Nuit Electro, scenography and Art installation of Grand Palais, Paris, France
      • Futurino, stage design and global art direction, Rinocerose, Pipole Prod, European tour

      2006

      • Double Vision, Choreographic and video scenographic show in collaboration with Carolyn Carlson, France, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Korea, Japan, Norway…

       

      AWARDS

       

      2005

      • Trophée Laval Virtual, Architecture, Art et Culture

      2004

      • Grand Prix Japan Media Art Festival, Art Division
      • Prix Ars Electronica, Honorary Mention, Interactive Art
      • Trophée Laval Virtual, Art et Culture
      • Japan Media Art Festival, Recommended work

       

      PUBLICATIONS

       

      • Jakob MacFarlane + Electronic Shadow, Philip Jodidio, published by Flammarion,2020
      • Arts Numériques, Electronics Shadow, Yacine Ait Kaci and Naziha Mestaoui , M21editions, 2008
      • Réalités Hybrides, Electronic Shadow, Archibook published by Paris-Musée,2005

       

      1996 – 2000
      digital art director

      AWARDS

       

      1999

      • The Louvre, the visit – DVD ROM du Louvre, Conception and art director,

      FLECHE D’OR – Fnac

      EMMA AWARD – category art & culture 

      INVISION AWARD – category General Interest 

      PC HOME AWARDS (UK) Most innovative product in all categories

      PC AHAT (FR) – DVD-ROM of the year

      MACWORLD Eddy’s Choice Award – second place in the chart

      MILIA D’OR – nomination DVD-ROM

      • For the TV subjects realized for the « Archimède » TV show broadcasted on Arte.

      PRIX LEONARDO – Prix international Science et audio-visuel

      PRIX ministère de la recherche

       

      1998

      • Yves Saint-Laurent 40 ans de création,CD-ROM, co-Art Director and designer

       

      1996

      • Centre Pompidou, la Collection, co-director and designer

         

      1994

      • Laureate of a National illustration contest to become the cartoonist of “XL” magazine,

       

      EDUCATION

       

      1998

      • Master II, New Media Designer and Director

      Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, France 

      Master thesis title: The Aesthetics of the screen

      1992

      • Preparatory Class for the “Grandes Ecoles”

      Academy Charpentier, Paris, France