MARCH 10 • 2022 | 49

In stark contrast, the piece Alice 
returns viewers to the story of Alice in 
Wonderland with some jarring differenc-
es. Amid a pretty floral setting, three 
young girls are carrying guns, which 
perhaps could be reminders to address 
the issue of young people accessing guns 
with tragic results. 
“I love themes of lost innocence,” 
Katleman said. “Alice in Wonderland is 
definitely that for me. It is a touchstone 
that I’ve referred to in my work over the 

years. There are multiple Alices going 
through that confusing forest of trees.”

MIRROR, MIRROR
One technique Katleman calls upon is the 
use of mirrors to enhance viewer immer-
sion. In the Detroit exhibit, Fire and Ice 
is a response to Robert Frost’s poem of 
the same name in keeping with an apoc-
alyptic theme. A close look at the figures 
reveals catastrophic circumstances because 
Katleman wanted to represent ways in 

which people currently feel buffeted.
Katleman’s grandmother, a recreational 
painter, was an artistic inspiration and 
early teacher. Much later, as a literature 
major at Stanford University in California, 
sculpting became a professional focus.
“When I got to Stanford, I knew I’d be a 
writer or an artist,” she recalled. “When I 
started taking art classes, I found I couldn’t 
do any of my other work. I would go in a 
deep dive into the studio, and I couldn’t fit 

continued on page 50

COURTESY OF WASSERMAN PROJECTS

Beth Katleman

Details

“Cast Illusions” can be 
seen through May 14 at 
Wasserman Projects, 3434 
Russell Street # 502 in 
Detroit. Private in-person 
viewing by appointment runs 
noon-5 p.m. Wednesdays-
Saturdays. (313) 818-3550. 
wassermanprojects.com.

