Through working across costume, sound, text, object, video and performance, artist Beth Kettel explores verbal and non-verbal language through the five semiotic systems: linguistic, visual, audio, gestural and spatial. Kettel usually creates multilayered performance, video and installation works that borrow symbolic, structural and stylistic devices from elsewhere such as music videos, games shows, pop-up books and sports, which set up imagined arenas for characters, tones, movement, voices and diverse interests to interconnect.

Recent work has explored the interrelationships between species and environment, alternative forms of communication between living organisms with explorations into consciousness and mental health of different species.

Kettel often works with people from other fields, past works have involved: choirs, sports teams, geologists, sound engineers, dancers and musicians.