ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Pauline Klein's 'Alice Kahn' Explores Identity and Art World Imposture

publication · 2026-04-23

Pauline Klein's debut novel 'Alice Kahn' (2010) follows a narrator who, after being mistaken for a woman named Anna by a photographer named William, assumes her identity. She creates a fictional artist, Alice Kahn, who leaves traces by adding pen marks to Andy Warhol's works and placing portraits in galleries and the Musée de la Vie romantique. The book critiques contemporary art's superficiality while echoing the practices of Sophie Calle and Cindy Sherman. Klein blends lightness, reflection, and poetry to explore identity as a construct.

Key facts

  • The novel 'Alice Kahn' is Pauline Klein's first book.
  • The narrator is mistaken for Anna by photographer William.
  • The narrator creates a fictional artist named Alice Kahn.
  • Alice Kahn adds pen marks to Andy Warhol's artworks.
  • A portrait is placed in a gallery and the Musée de la Vie romantique.
  • The book critiques the contemporary art world's superficiality.
  • The narrative echoes Sophie Calle and Cindy Sherman's practices.
  • The review was written by Amélie Évrard for artpress in 2010.

Entities

Artists

  • Pauline Klein
  • William
  • Andy Warhol
  • Sophie Calle
  • Cindy Sherman
  • Alice Kahn
  • Anna

Institutions

  • Musée de la Vie romantique
  • artpress

Sources