Featured Work
Special thanks to Jason DeRusha and Heather Brown from CBS Minnesota / WCCO MidMorning featuring this TV spot. Original Air Date: Fri., Nov. 26.
R. J. Kern spent years traveling across the entire state, traveling from fair to fair, and finding the children who didn't take home the title of grand champion.
“Chins up, heads high, The Unchosen Ones faced the camera again,” wrote Jennifer Brooks in her article, “New book celebrates Minnesota kids who didn't win at the county fair” in the Star Tribune on November 27, 2021. She quoted several of the kids from the project, offering lessons on resillence. Thank you, Jennifer, for spending time sharing the project!
Kol and Annabell at the 2016 Anoka County Fair. From the upcoming book, “The Unchosen Ones,” by R. J. Kern.
I enjoyed my conversation with Noah Fish at Agweek in his article, “New photo book highlights humanity of Minnesota's 4-H members,” published on November 27, 2021.
Photographer R.J. Kerns in 2020 visited Minnesota 4-H members who he previously had photographed in 2016 after their animals were not chosen at winners at county fairs.
Finding success in a single area of the photography industry is no small task. I sat down with writer Abby Ferguson one afternoon to share my five tips for emerging fine art photographers. A rising tide raises all ships, and this is my way I like to help other photographers succeed. READ IT HERE >>
Atlanta celebrates photography! “What We Known: ACP 2021 Ones to Watch,” exhibition at MINT gallery, curated by Mary Stanley in conjunction with the 2021 Atlanta Celebrates Photography Festival. Exhibition runs through November 6, 2021. Works for sale.
Special thanks to the gregarious, every loving Mary Stanley for the invitation to be apart of this experience.
Concordia College invited me recently to be a visiting artist, complete with a series of lighting workshops for undergrad photo students, an exhibition of nine works, and an artist talk. I also made it my “unofficial book reveal” as well as a short documentary series I’ve been working on for the last year. Three participants from The Unchosen Ones project: Kenzi, Rylie, and Louis, stood up with a round of applause during my talk. I was proud to see them in the audience, along with their significant others. I brought the same backdrop and lighting equipment used for the series whiling indulging students in the nuances of how to “hide your main light with your fill” as well as other technicals.
After almost a year in production for the book, this experience offered reason enough for the effort. Special thanks to Chris Mortenson for the invitation and the Faculty of Fine Arts for their support. You make this artist SWOON! Photo credit: Chris Mortenson
The college newspaper, The Concordian, did a nice write-up, thanks to David Lindgren >>
The exhibition was installed in the Gallery Bridge at Concordia College, depicted below at night. Photograph by R. J. Kern.
A diptych of portraits created on the fairgrounds in Anoka County (Minnesota), were featured as a Editor’s Pick by Life Framer in their most recent online them, Youthhood. View editor’s list here >>
My work straddles multiple genres, not specific to portraiture or landscape, and I love the freedom it gives me as a photographic artist. When it comes to entering contests, I don’t want to be put into a box. I like the Life Framer themes are focused on storytelling with themes open to boundary pushing, not compartmentalization.
While not selected for the big prize, my work was chosen as an “Editors’ Pick” with thoughtful comments, published on their website. Editor’s comment:
Some of us – for many reasons – have to grow up faster than others, and few more so than those working on family farms. Farmland is a wonderful place to explore as a child, but it is also full or responsibility and care, where you can at times witness birth, life and death in quicker succession than normally experienced in an urban setting. There is so much joy and pride in this image, underpinned by a strong selection of tones and shades. I truly feel the confidence of the subject, enjoying their childhood and the duties that accompany it, seemingly unaffected by the past years obstacles.
What makes this pairing unique in the project is it is the only location that remained the same in both 2016 portrait and 2020 portraits. Special permission and access was required to create the 2020 portrait.
Kol and Annabell, Anoka County Fair, Minnesota, 2016 (left) paired with Kol and Annabell, Anoka County, Minnesota, 2020 (right).
If I was a champion sheep, you’d call me “Salty Frog.” I’d have an earring with my name badge, too. Only fitting, “Salty Frog” will be exhibited at the Rourke Art Museum as part of the 62nd Invitational Exhibition, running 18 June - 5 September 2021. Theme: On the Autobiographical Impulse. This is the fifth year I’ve been apart of the show. I always look forward to re-connecting with the community where I had my coffee shop show in 2014 which helped launch my career as a fine-art photographer.
Supreme Champion Ewe (Salty Frog) 2018 Minnesota State Fair. This salt over pigment print was the exhibition print during my solo Burnet Fine Art exhibition in 2019. Ed 1 of 5, 20 x 24 inches. $3000
My work was selected by an international panel of jurors to be exhibited at the Helsinki Photo Festival 2021, July 7 - September 30, 2021. The theme “fearless” will be a thread through the 50 winners selected.
Can being fearless improve your life or will it ruin it? What does it take to lose your fear? Can we live without fear or will it make us numb? These questions were considered in my approach of re-photographing The Unchosen Ones in 2020.
Special thank you to the Judging panel: Alexa Becker, Andy Adams, Curt Richter, Emanuela Mirabelli, Karoliina Korpilahti, Marianne Ager, Moritz Neumüller, Naoya Yoshikawa, Federico Estol, Rafael Rybczynski, Stefan Bremer, Stig Marlon Weston.
#helphoto21
LEFT: Emma and Ethan with sheep, Blue Earth County Fair, Minnesota, 2016, RIGHT: Emma and Ethan, Blue Earth County, Minnesota, 2020, 20 x 24 inches, archival pigment print, edition of 10 + 2 AP, by R. J. Kern.
Selections from my series The Best of the Best will be published in Analog Forever Magazine, Edition 4 (released Summer 2021). I am proud to have work featured in this beautiful printed publication focused on analog photography. I’ll be joined by nine analog and experimental photographers from around the globe, "each exploring various methods for using the medium we love in individual, creative ways."
Inside you will find interviews with Chris McCaw, Joseph R. Webb, and David Michael Kennedy. Featured alongside them are portfolio features of Galina Kurlat, Marky Kauffmann, Mateusz Zurowski, Olivier Du Tré, Vanessa Leroy, and yours truly.
Thank you to Michael Kirchoff for his efforts in leading this magazine. I also want to thank Nick Brandreth, who taught me salt printing techniques at the George Eastman House, my master printer, Ethan Jones, who created the archival digital print (before the salt is applied by me), and Keith Taylor, for his patience in troubleshooting.
Analog Forever Magazine, Edition 4 (released Summer 2021) will feature the work of R. J. Kern, among others.
I’m excited to connect with new audiences back in my roots: Denver! The Denver Month of Photography is a biennial festival celebrating the art of photography, presented by the Colorado Photographic Arts Center. What a creative way to share work outside— projected images on a clocktower! I’m excited to be apart of the outdoor, “Reimagining Hope,” exhibition juried by Samantha Johnston.
I’m looking forward to participating in the portfolio reviews… and even dragged along a good friend to participate, Matt Steaffens. Matt, a long-time friend, has been working on a street photography project which will surely catch the attention of lovers the work of Cartier-Bresson! He took the trip downtown to document the installation view… and he will be making his first portfolio review debut. I’m cheering for him!
“Kenzi and Hootie, Anoka County, Minnesota, 2020” installation view. Photograph by Matthew Steaffens.
“Reimagining Hope,” exhibition juried by Samantha Johnston as part of Night Light Denver. Photograph by Matthew Steaffens.
Bid high, big often! Special thank you to Haley Berkman Karren for mentioning my work in her PaperCity article, “Vaunted Photography Print Auction Celebrates 40 Years With New Treasures — 10 Beautiful Pieces to Bid On,” on February 8, 2021. Lots of amazing prints in the auction to include Cindy Sherman, Pentti Sammallahti, Adam Neese, and more! This is the 40th anniversary of the Houston Center for Photography (HCP), dedicated to promoting photography and pushing the medium forward since 1981. Yet, it won’t be the same without Clint Willour, who passed recently.
Karren writes, “I was introduced to R.J. Kern’s work when I met the photographer this past spring at the FotoFest Meeting Place Portfolio Review. Kern explores ideas of home, ancestry and place through the interaction of people, animals and cultural landscapes. In this beautiful and expansive photograph, Kern depicts Icelandic sheep roaming the edge of a lake. Kern draws influence from 19th-century landscape painters, particularly in their use of light and composition.”
“Vaunted Photography Print Auction Celebrates 40 Years With New Treasures — 10 Beautiful Pieces to Bid On,” by Haley Berkman Karren, PaperCity, February 8, 2021.
I’m excited to be apart of the Houston Center for Photography’s 2021 Virtual Print Auction. This is the second time I’ve participated and am happy to be in good company with fellow artist friends Susan Kae Grant, Robert Langham III (chief instigator), Pentti Sammallahti. It’s a great cause to support a wonderful photography organization. And they always do a wonderful job on designing and printing the auction catalogue >>. Online Bidding Begins Thursday, February 4, 2021. Auction: Thursday, February 18, 2021 @ 6 pm CST
I’ve donated this print, which I hope offers warmth and a bit of humor to the new collector. This bunch of marshmallow puff balls can’t wait for their new home!
The Lifeguards, Lake Myvatn, Iceland (2014), from the series Divine Animals: The Bovidae and published in The Sheep and the Goats (Kehrer Verlag, 2018). Edition 2 of 7 +AP, archival pigment print, 24.5 x 32 inches.
Bid high, big often!
I’m proud to share my work at Olson-Larsen Galleries with THE ANIMAL SHOW, October 9 - November 26, 2020, along with six other artists, all representing the animal kingdom including work by Michael Brangoccio, Kirsten Furlong, Paula Schuette Kraemer, Gary Olson, Randy Richmond, and Tilly Woodward. It has been a joy working with Alyss and Susan preparing for this show. The space is welcoming and warm, just like the people and art!
I will conduct an Instagram Live event on Oct 22 at 6:00pm CT with @olsonlarsengalleries. The Top 5 favorite questions will earn a little hand-written surprise by yours truly :) I’ll tell a few stories about my subjects featured in “The Animal Show,” including some of the most famous—and infamous—goats in the world published by Kehrer Verlag. Susan and Alyss will join me in a discussion about starting and building an art collection, too. Of course, we'll share our geeky enthusiasm on the topic including the top purchases related to collecting art under $100 we’ve made and more!
The University of Minnesota library recently shared an interview about virtual artists’ books, highlighting The Best of the Best: A Virtual Artist Book.
The idea of the artists’ book is that you are combining the aesthetic of an object with a concept,” says Deborah Ultan, Curator of the Francis V. Gorman Rare Art Books & Media Collection. “You’re creating something that is both visually exciting as much as or maybe more so even than the text.”
My entry into the 2020 Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition: Holy Cow (Quarantined greater than 14 Days), archival pigment print, mounted on dibond, 2020.
While the 2020 Minnesota State Fair is not happening this year, I’m excited the show goes on at the Fine Arts exhibition. I was a bit apprehensive this year submitting work, as the risk of rejection is always a possibility.
I am excited not only to be accepted into the 108th Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition, but I received an Honorable Mention by photography juror Buck Holzemer for my photograph, Holy Cow (Quarantined greater than 14 Days). It still offers me humor, despite COVID-19 times.
And some wonderful press for the show including a few mentions of my work:
I’ll be hanging out 6pm on Saturday, August 29 (date night), enjoying my favorite art event of the year!
And some screen grabs from the really cool virtual tour of the exhibition >>
I was also surprised to see Stuart Klipper’s photograph (he’s a friend that lives a few blocks away), hang a few pieces to the left of mine.
The messages of “The Unchosen Ones” will be shared until January 2021, Terminal 1 at MSP. Weary travelers: it’s 100 feet from Starbucks. Thank you @artsatmsp for this opportunity to engage new audiences. This artist is giddy inside.
The Artist Book Edition includes essays by independent curator Alison Nordström, PhD and Joe Scapanski, Minnesota State Fair Board of Managers.
Honored to be apart of the 12th Anniversary Group Exhibition, Fraction, Issue 134, May 2020.
Featured was a photograph from my series The Best of the Best, Supreme Champion Turkey Male / Female Pair, 2018 Minnesota State Fair, a 20 x 24 inch salt over archival pigment print (Ed 2 of 5 + 2AP featured).
Thank you David Bram and Bree Lamb!
http://www.fractionmagazine.com/issue-134
Artists include: Michael Amato, Kalee Appleton, Kseniya Apresyan, Mikey Baratta, Raphael Begay, Michael Behlen, Christopher Bennett, Per Bjesse, Christa Blackwood, Michael Borowski, Frances Bukovsky, William Castellana, Heidi Clapp Temple, Noemi Comi, Charmaine de Heij, Angela Di Finizio, Claire Droppert, Sean Du, Jean-Luc Feixa, Matthew Finley, Nate Francis, Daniel George, Lauren Greenwald, Alexandra Gromova, Karla Guerrero, Deming Haines, Zhou HanShun, Kathleen Hawkes, Amy Herman, Kevin Hoth, Megan Jacobs, Kevin Jones, Neal Parker Johnson, Marcy Juran, R. J. Kern, Kevin Michael Klipfel, Epiphany Knedler, Vassilis Konstantinou, Eric Kunsman, Anna Lazareva, Deb Leal, Frank Machalowski, Mila Maes, Steven Marks, Robert Maury McGinnis, Abbey Meaker, Susan Metzger, Diane Meyer, Penny Molesso, Chris Mortensen, Anikke Myers, Kazunori Nagashima, Laura Noel, Amy Parrish, Evan Perkins, Sarah Pfohl, Andrea Poulsen, Janet Pritchard, Mark Rammers, André Duane Ramos-Woodward, Suzanne Révy, Adam Reynolds, Juan Rodriguez Morales, Oleksandr Rupeta, Adnan Rusdi, Ioanna Sakellaraki, Wendi Schneider, Leah Schretenthaler, Tom Sebastiano, Kristina Sergeeva, Abhishek Singh, Forrest Simmons, Paul Sisson, Susan Lynn Smith, Deanne Sokolin, Bonta Teresa, Amy Thompson-Avishai, Alex Turner, Brian Van Lau, Wouter Vanhees, Martin Wannam, Wendel White, Ashley Whitt, Emily Wiethorn, Becky Wilkes, Sara Winston, Dima Zharov
I met Taylor Curry and Carson Sanders (Co-Owner / Publisher of Aint-Bad) at FotoFest last week, just before it was cancelled due to COVID-19. They enjoyed The Best of the Best and gave it some love and shared on their social media channels. Thanks, gents! Here’s the profile >>
Supreme Champion Stock Dog Male / Female Pair, 2018 Minnesota State Fair, salt print over archival pigment print, Edition of 5 sized 20 x 24 inches , Edition of 10 sized 8 x 10 inches.
What makes Minnesota so unique? Is it its people? It’s weather? Its landmarks? Minnesota has helped give rise to some amazing talents - from The Replacements, Judy Garland, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Bob Dylan, Prince and now Lizzo - and is consistently ranked in the top states to live in in the US. Minnesota is diverse, accepting, thriving, colloquial, and proud.
This show brings together a dozen Minnesota-based artists in an exhibition to celebrate Minnesota. From distinctive landscapes and portraits, abstract paintings and figurative works, each artist will present art that captures how Minnesota has inspired them, whether it be its people, places, icons or animals. The exhibition will be hosted at the Kristi Abbott Gallery & Studio in Minneapolis. Big thanks to Kristi for inviting me to join in this ‘collaborative exhibition.’
Exhibition Dates:
Opening Reception - March 5th, 2020 - 7pm - 11pm
Closing Party - April 10th, 2020 - 5pm - 9pm
Exhibiting Artists:
Kristi Abbott, Ta-coumba T. Aiken, Shane Anderson, Linda Clayton Behr, Christina Rossi Hankins, Coreen Johnson, R. J. Kern, Sue Mooney, Alison Price, Heather Renaux, Greta Kusilek Sandquist, and Adam Turman.
A group exhibition of Minnesota-based artists, Kristi Abbott Gallery & Studio, March 5 - April 10, 2020.
