Fidelity Investments Corporate Art Collection {acquisition}

I’m honored to share that the Fidelity Investments Corporate Art Collection (Boston, MA) has acquired a photograph from my series "The Last Fair" for its permanent collection.

I’m grateful to senior curator Lexi Lee Sullivan for selecting this work, especially that Minnesota is in the bull’s-eye of America’s fractured and frayed politics. 

Since 1980, Fidelity’s collection has grown to over 12,000 works worldwide. It champions art that is experimental, intellectually curious, and technically precise, exploring themes of diversity, the human journey, sustainability, and technology’s influence on society.

Fidelity also acquired "Rylee and Nelly, Clay County Fair” (Ed 1/3) from my series "The Unchosen Ones," following our connection at a 2019 portfolio review in New Orleans. The first print from this edition belongs to the Grand Forks Children’s Museum (ND).

I’m deeply grateful to see both works join a collection that values art’s ability to reflect, challenge, and connect.

R. J. Kern in studio, Minneapolis, MN (2026)

Title: "Opichi Drum performance at Mahnomen County Fair, White Earth Indian Reservation, Minnesota, 2023"  

Edition 2/3 (edition of 3 + 1 AP), from the series "The Last Fair”, image size: 37.5 x 53.5 inches (V & H)

Minnesota Artists Summit (Feb 21)

Somehow, I’ve been roped into “celebrity” status. I’ll be one of four featured artists on the Celebrity Artist Panel at the Minnesota Artists Summit on Saturday, February 21 at the Courtyard Marriott in Roseville, MN.

The day is stacked:

• Writing artist statements & proposals

• Gallerist and interior design panels

• Art festival strategies

• Grant-writing, marketing, and a Springboard for the Arts resource overview

• “The Jazz Approach to Creativity” session

• “Celebrity Artist Panel” with artists Amy Rice, Shawn McNulty, Mary Catherine Solberg, and myself (R. J. Kern)

It’s designed as continuing education for working artists, not fluff — practical tips, candid conversations, and room to ask real questions. 

Members $55, Non-members $70. Saturday, Feb 21, all day, Courtyard Marriott Roseville (times TBA).

Details here >>

Tweed Museum of Art {Acquisition}

Moment 504 and Moment 621 from the series Ethereal Echoes has found a new home at the Tweed Museum of Art at the University of Minnesota Duluth, thanks to curator Julie Delliquanti. I appreciate the financial support they have given me for my work created during my 2025 Lakewood Residency in Minneapolis which will allow me to continue the series.

Tomte, Year 15

Year 15 of the Tomte series kicked off earlier than ever…. antics began during the summer with the first WOODEN tomte which appeared on our cabin front door. Of course, we had to commemorate the occasion with another annual event: the tintype portrait sessions with family. This year builds on previous year’s antics… so if you are a follower of the series, you are in for an extra holiday treat. If you are new to this holiday series, discover antics from yesteryear: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.

The Animal Show | Olson-Larsen Galleries

I’m excited to be apart of The Animal Show, a group exhibition at Olson-Larsen Galleries (Des Moines, IA) with Joe Brogrammer, Heidi McKay Casto, Bryan Holland, Leah Kiser, Paula Schuette Kraemer, Gary Olson, and Steve Snell. Animals find themselves into my work frequently over the years and I love being apart of a group of like-minded artists who share similar passions. The show opens December 4 and runs through February 2026.

Installation images by Alyss Vernon.

THE ANIMAL SHOW: Opening reception(s) Thursday, December 4th, 5:00pm-8:00pm (Jingle in the Junction) and Friday, December 5th, 4:00pm-7:00pm (First Friday).

LEFT: R. J. Kern, Aitkin County Fair 4-H, Minnesota, 2025 (2025), archival pigment print mounted on museum board, Edition 1 of 7 + AP, 30 x 40 inches; RIGHT: R. J. Kern, Isanti County Fair 4-H, Minnesota, 2025 (2025), archival pigment print mounted on museum board, Edition 1 of 7 + AP, 30 x 40 inches. Both from the series The Last Fair (2021 - present), signed on verso. Pricing via gallery.

LEFT: R. J. Kern, Copper and Ginger, Bogstad Manor, Norway (2023), archival pigment print mounted on museum board, Edition 1 of 7 + AP, 24 x 30 inches: RIGHT: R. J. Kern, Valberg Pastoral Study V, Norway (2023), archival pigment print mounted on museum board, Edition 2 of 7 + AP, 24 x 30 inches. Both from the series Divine Animals: The Bovidae (2012 - present), signed on verso. Pricing via gallery.

THE ARTFUL PRESENT // Holiday Group Art Show

One of my favorite art parties in the Twin Cities each year, the Holiday Group Show at Veronique Wantz Gallery, today Nov 22, 4-7pm with bubbles // snacks, 5-7pm live jazz. Works by 34 visual artists at approachable price points. I’m exhibiting five new works.

THE ARTFUL PRESENT // Holiday Group Art Show - November 22 - December 20, 2025

Veronique Wantz Gallery, 901 North Fifth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401

R. J. Kern, Moment 4081, unique silver gelatin chemigram, gold-toned float mounted on museum board with artist frames made from reclaimed wood at Lakewood Cemetery (Minneapolis, MN). Edition 1/1, signed on verso, 5 1/4 x 7 inches 2025, $650.00

$99 Print Offer during Paris Photo

To celebrate Paris Photo art fair, I selected four prints from my “The Last Fair” project (2021-ongoing) included in my 2025/6 Guggenheim Photography portfolio. I am making them available only during Nov 12-16, 2025 as an open edition print offer for $99. By adding to your collection, you are also supporting an my ongoing creative practice.

Open Edition details

Edition available only Nov 12-16, 2025 (not available after Nov 12-16, 2025)

Dimensons

Unframed: 9 × 11.5 inches (22.9 x 29.2 cm)

Folio: 10 x 12.5 inches

Medium

archival pigment print on Canson Infinity Platine Rag Paper (310gsm)

Finishing

Prints are individually signed on verso

Available dates

November 12-16, 2025

Pricing

$99 signed print

$50 denim display folio (separate product)

For the second year, we will host a one-night pop-up exhibition at Paris Photo with signed photographic works starting at attractive prices (like $100) with complimentary wine & cheese & bread. Featuring works by: Jim Elzinga, Bethany Jacobson, Jamie Johnson, R. J. Kern, Dotan Saguy, Michael Rababy, and Ewa Zebrowski.                

When: Friday, November 14, 2025 6 -10 p.m.

Where: Houseboat in front of Grand Palais (on the Seine), Paris, France, 1 Port Des Champs Elysees, 75008 Paris

Paris Photo Pop-Up House boat show, Nov 14, 2025

Amon Carter Museum of American Art {Acquisition}

The Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, TX has acquired a portfolio of ten prints from The Unchosen Ones series made between 2016 - 2021.

If you know Richard Avedon’s portraiture, you might notice echoes of his approach in my series—portraits of youth and their animals from county fairs who didn’t take home the ribbon.

I’m grateful to the Minnesota State Arts Board for supporting this work, and to the Veronique Wantz Gallery, Olson Larsen Galleries, Carrie Scott, Sarah Leen, Jennifer Phelps, and Deborah Ultan for championing my work. And for photography curator Charlie Wylie (Curator of Photographs) and Scott Davis (Head of Research Library) at the Amon Carter to make this acquisition happen.

It’s a special connection to see "The Unchosen Ones" join the Carter’s collection—notably the same museum that commissioned Avedon’s iconic "In the American West" series in 1979. That exhibition celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2025.

The Deluxe Edition Portfolio (Ed. of 10 + AP) includes twelve photographs and video interviews from "The Unchosen Ones: Portraits of an American Pastoral"—created as both an exhibition and an educational tool for university collections and study rooms. Each set includes a signed special edition of the book (MW Editions, 2021), a hand-built portfolio box and accordion book made in Minneapolis, and QR codes linking to documentary videos.

Today was a SOMEDAY

Today was a SOMEDAY.

As in, “”SOMEDAY, I’ll stand in front of my daughter’s 4th grade and share enthusiasm about being a National Geographic cartographer and share stories as a @natgeo published photographer.”

I’m a proud papa to help inspire the next generation of geographers, photographers, and animal and map lovers alike.

National Geographic projects I collaborated on included creating topographic maps (2004) and publishing photographic work (2017).

L'Œil de la Photographie // Eye of Photography {feature}

Thank you to Gilles Decamps and Arthur Dayras for featuring 15 photographs from my Ethereal Echoes series in The Eye of Photography, a digital magazine about photography published daily.

View article here >> 

2025 Paris Photo Pop-Up Houseboat Party

Plans made. Boat booked. Artists confirmed! Today, seven photographers dreamt about the November 14 in Paris…. specifically, being on a houseboat sharing work. 

For the second year, we will host a one-night pop-up exhibition at Paris Photo with signed photographic works starting at attractive prices (like $100) with complimentary wine & cheese & bread. Featuring works by: Jim Elzinga, Bethany Jacobson, Jamie Johnson, R. J. Kern, Dotan Saguy, Michael Rababy, and Ewa Zebrowski.                

When: Friday, November 14, 2025 6 -10 p.m.

Where: Houseboat in front of Grand Palais (on the Seine), Paris, France, 1 Port Des Champs Elysees, 75008 Paris

Chromoskedasic Photography Demonstration

As part of my public engagement component of my artist residency at Lakewood Cemetery, I offered a free, in person demonstration on the process for my project, Ethereal Echoes (August 2025). Essentially I am tossing many of the traditional darkroom rules out the window and thinking about life, loss, memory, and place.

You may watch this unedited Chromoskedasic Photography Demonstration here:

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Shooting with a Waist Level Viewfinder

My little splurge this year has been an enjoy able addition to my PhaseOne XF camera system: a waist level viewfinder.

“Left becomes right and right becomes left” offers new perspectives and enhances interaction between my portrait subjects. Diane Arbus, Mary Ellen Mark, Helmut Newton shot with a waist-level viewfinder due to lower distortion for full-length portraits. The advantage for me: my camera isn’t between me and my subject which allows for better interaction. Bonus: it saves weight making my rig more packable. At least one new image for my Guggenheim portfolio this year was shot with this new tool.

This is an example of a portrait created low to the ground of the mini-horses at the Isanti County Fair using my PhaseOnes Waist Level Viewfinder. Notice how the camera is almost at knee level… which means I don’t have to be laying on my stomach or sitting on the group to see from the same vantage point.

Isanti County Fair, MN, 2025

Benton County Fair, MN, 2025

The Art of Giving 2025 | Grand Forks Curling Club pop-up exhibition

New work for The Art of Giving (TAG) — opening 5 PM, Sept 19 at the Grand Forks Curling Club, Grand Forks, ND. This one-night pop-up features regional artists with work for sale; 30% of proceeds benefit the North Dakota Children’s Museum. I’ll have over 30 pieces available — my favorite art night of the year.

As a middle-aged artist, this project feels like a mirror: it reflects the stories beneath the soil and my own reckoning with time. There’s vulnerability in admitting how much lies beyond my control — and, within that impermanence, a strange freedom.

Moment 804, unique gold-toned silver gelatin chemigram with recycled wood from Lakewood Cemetery, 6 x 8 inches

Moment 803, unique gold-toned silver gelatin chemigram with recycled wood from Lakewood Cemetery, 6 x 8 inches

Moment 801 Circle with Fire and Wax, unique gold-toned silver gelatin chemigram with recycled wood from Lakewood Cemetery, 41 x 49 inches, 2025

Upcoming Webinar & Workshops

Get the Show on the Road! Tips on Traveling Exhibitions

Date: October 9, 2025

Meeting: Thursday, 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM CST

Location: Online Event Via Zoom hosted by Houston Center for Photography

Once your solo exhibition comes down, how do you keep the show on the road? What practical constraints make it easier to earn a "yes?" What does an exhibition proposal look like? How does a touring exhibition keep your book alive? How do you manage shipping costs and logistics for shows booking 3-4 years out? How much should you charge? What about a retainer? What does a written agreement look like?

In this webinar, I will share the nuts and bolts of how he was able to book (in a matter of months) over 12 exhibitions from his photographic project The Unchosen Ones. Traveling exhibitions support my creative practice, keep my books alive, and create PREDICABLE income, unlike gallery print sales or grants. I am eager to share my enthusiasm and lessons learned with a goal of expanding your audience for your photographic projects.

This live webinar is open to all levels. A 45-minutes presentation will be followed by a 45-minutes for Q&A, deeper discussions, and lots of show & tell.

Notes:

• A link to attend will be sent 24hrs before the event

• This webinar will not be recorded

Exhibition of The Unchosen Ones at Burnet Fine Art & Advisory (2022) and at the Griffin Museum of Photography (Winchester, MA).

Walker Art Center exhibits 'The Best of the Best' artist book

On exhibition at the Walker Art Center (Minneapolis, MN), The Best of the Best is featured as part of selections from the Rosemary Furtak Artist Book Collection. The Walker is one of the most-visited modern and contemporary art museums in the U.S. The wall label text outside the library reads:

“This collector's edition accordion-fold artist book by photographer R.J. Kern features his photographs of 2019 champion animals from the Minnesota State Fair, "exploring the relationship between the present and the past, drawing parallels between early animal contests at agricultural fairs and the first major exhibition of photography at the 1851 World's Fair in London." Captured first as digital images, these photographs were physically realized using both contemporary inkjet technology and 19th-century salt printing techniques.

Contributors include Keith Taylor, Master Book Binder; Jeff Berg, Master Wood Craftsman; Kyle Olman, Pop-Up Book Artist; Ethan Aaro Jones, Master Digital Printer; and Sarah Oliphant, Master Backdrop Painter. The two featured essayists are Anjuli Lebowitz and Eric T. Kunsman.”

I’m honored to have my work apart of this important artist book collection that celebrates “books that refuse to behave like books.”

Special thank you to Nick Brandreth for teaching me salt printing in 2019 at the George Eastman House (Rochester, NY).

KNSI radio interview at Benton County Fair

Thank you to Dan “Ox” Oshner for his radio interview with me at the 2025 Benton County Fair. I enjoyed his enthusiasm and willingness to share my work on “Hot Talk with the Ox,” KNSI radio (live interview at Benton County Fair). You may listen to the interview HERE >> starting at 1:08:45), AM 1450/FM 99.3 KNSI-St. Cloud held on August 1, 2025. I created a portrait of “The Ox” in my makeshift studio at the fair:

Radio personality Dan “Ox” Oshner at the 2025 Benton County Fair (St. Cloud, MN) in my makeshift portrait studio.

Ethereal Echoes: Video Documentary by R. J. Kern

A video documentary by R. J. Kern fuses philosophy with photographic chemistry to create art. Drawing on teachings of impermanence and rebirth, Kern employs Chromoskedasic techniques – altering silver gelatin prints to produce shimmering, mirror-like surfaces reminiscent of 19th-century daguerreotype reflecting rhythms of life, death, and renewal. Through organic forms shaped by light and alchemy, this series invites viewers to pause and reflect on the cycles that connect us.

Music: Sarah M. Greer; Framing Millwork: Jessica Nelson; Video Editing: Independence Barnes

About the project >>

Ethereal Echoes Exhibition at Lakewood Cemetery

My exhibition of new works from my series, Ethereal Echoes, on view now through Sept 1, 2025 at Lakewood Cemetery Welcome Center (Minneapolis, MN). Free to enjoy for all.

Opening reception and artist talk 6:30 - 8:00 pm Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at the Welcome Center.

Chromoskedasic Photography Demonstration 6:30 - 8:30pm Tuesday, August 12 at the Welcome Center.

For me, I create this work in response to a place that is not only about loss, but a transformation of loss into memory. Lakewood Cemetery is not a static monument—it breathes.

Elements of the cemetery— wood, water, ethereal light— are collaborators. The work wouldn’t look the same had the water, humidity, or temperature been different. They dilute the chemistry the paper, bend the paper, and exposure the photo paper. Every humidity shift, every slant of sun, alters what I create. Each piece is as unique as the souls who are remembered in this place. These pieces are as fleeting and singular as the lives they honor.

As a middle-aged artist, I’ve come to see this project as a kind of mirror. It reflects not just the stories beneath the soil, but my own reckoning with time.

There’s vulnerability in admitting how much lies beyond my control. Yet here, amid the impermanence, I find a strange freedom. As humans, we haven’t fixed this thing called death.

This work isn’t about fixing or conquering. It’s about leaning into what we can’t hold onto—and finding grace in the act. The cemetery teaches me that beauty isn’t a victory; it’s the quiet pact we make with impermanence. And in that surrender, there’s something alive.

A video documentary by R. J. Kern fuses philosophy with photographic chemistry to create art. Drawing on teachings of impermanence and rebirth, Kern employs Chromoskedasic techniques – altering silver gelatin prints to produce shimmering, mirror-like surfaces reminiscent of 19th-century daguerreotype reflecting rhythms of life, death, and renewal. Through organic forms shaped by light and alchemy, this series invites viewers to pause and reflect on the cycles that connect us.

Music: Sarah M. Greer; Framing Millwork: Jessica Nelson; Video Editing: Independence Barnes

The Unchosen Ones touring exhibition {returns home}

The Unchosen Ones touring exhibition returns after three years on the road, at the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County (Moorhead, MN). The exhibition runs July 8 - Sept 30, 2025. Clay County is among the first fairs where I began principal photography for the project in 2016, published by National Geographic (Nov 2017).

Booking details for the exhibition here >>

These activities are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Lake Region Arts Council and the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage fund, and by the Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation, the Alex Stern Family Foundation, and The Arts Partnership, with support from the Cities of Fargo, Moorhead, and West Fargo.