Beth Katleman’s art is chaotic, beautiful, and even somewhat creepy. Her new art installation, Folly, is inspired by 18th century wall coverings. Her 50 porcelain sculptures set on a vivid blue background are supposed to mimic wallpaper of the era- only in a decidedly more 3 dimensional way that leaves you wondering if a ghost will pop up from around the next corner.
Fifty white sculptural tableaus hover just off the turquoise wall, surrounded by an explosion of fruit and flowers. Each tableau is a miniature landscape with water features, topiaries, architectural follies, figurines and toys from the flea market. Dark humor infuses the narratives: an elf sits astride a giant smiling snail in the shadow of the Sacre-Coeur Basilica; a parade of bridesmaids ends badly with one attendant drowning in a pond; and a toothless boy cavorts with a kindly reindeer as a duckling
tumbles over a waterfall.
