R. J. Kern

For information about R. J. Kern's artwork contact:

https://www.rjkern.com/

rj@rjkern.com


R. J. Kern is an American artist whose work explores ideas of home, ancestry, and a sense of place through the interaction of people, animals, and cultural landscapes.

Hannah, Pastoral Study, 2020

R. J. Kern

Shania and Greg, Hubbard County Fair, Minnesota, 2016

R. J. Kern

Shania and Pineapple, Ramsey County, Minnesota, 2020

R. J. Kern

Kol and Annabelle, Anoka County Fair, Minnesota, 2016

R. J. Kern

Kol and Annabelle, Anoka County, Minnesota, 2020

R. J. Kern

Kael, Pastoral Study, 2020

R. J. Kern

Cody, Pastoral Study, 2020

R. J. Kern

Blake and Bolt, Hubbard County Fair, Minnesota, 2016

R. J. Kern

Blake and P. T., Hubbard County, Minnesota, 2020

R. J. Kern

Josilin, Pastoral Study, 2021

R. J. Kern

Rylee and Nelly, Clay County Fair, MInnesota, 2016

R. J. Kern

Rylee and Nelly, Clay County, Minnesota, 2020

R. J. Kern

Eric, Pastoral Study, 2020

R. J. Kern

Gus and Doolittle, Mahnomen County Fair, 2016

R. J. Kern

Gus, Wilkin County, Minnesota, 2020

R. J. Kern

Taite and Evie, Anoka County Fair, Minnesota, 2016

R. J. Kern

Taite and Beau, Anoka County, Minnesota, 2020

R. J. Kern

David, Pastoral Study, 2020

R. J. Kern

Nick and Fiona, Pastoral Study, 2020

R. J. Kern

Hailey and Shawnee, State Fair Mounted Patrol, 2021 Minnesota State Fair

R. J. Kern

The Herrera Family, 2021 Minnesota State Fair

R. J. Kern

Payton and Shay, 2021 Minnesota State Fair

R. J. Kern

The Wanous Family, 2021 Minnesota State Fair

R. J. Kern

Dan grilling pork chops from Aldi, 2021 Minnesota State Fair

R. J. Kern

Ghost Pig I, 2021 Minnesota State Fair

R. J. Kern

Ghost Pig II, 2021 Minnesota State Fair

R. J. Kern

Hold Over Barn, 2021 Minnesota State Fair

R. J. Kern

Hazel, Geiranger Fjord, Norway, from the series Divine Animals: The Bovidae

R. J. Kern

Eating Buddy, Lake Myvatn, Iceland, from the series Divine Animals: The Bovidae

R. J. Kern

Lofoten Loafin’, Lofoten Islands, Norway, from the series The Divine Animals: The Bovidae

R. J. Kern

Bashful, Sygnefjell, Norway, from the series The Divine Animals: The Bovidae

R. J. Kern

Olaf, Lofoten Islands, Norway, from the series Divine Animals: The Bovidae

R. J. Kern

Casanova II, from the series Divine Animals: The Bovidae

R. J. Kern

Casanova, Haafell, Iceland, from the series The Divine Animals: The Bovidae

R. J. Kern

Holy Cow, 10:50pm, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

R. J. Kern

Mr. Hofsós, Skagafjardarsysla, Iceland, from the series Divine Animals: The Bovidae

R. J. Kern

Tiffany, Telemark County, Norway, from the series The Divine Animals: The Bovidae

R. J. Kern

Quigley, County Kerry, Ireland, from the series Divine Animals: The Bovidae

R. J. Kern

Attack of the Clones, Garmisch, Germany, from the series Divine Animals: The Bovidae

R. J. Kern

German Pastoral Study I, Kehl, Germany, from the series Divine Animals: The Bovidae

R. J. Kern

Louis and Dumb, Freeborn County Fair, Minnesota, 2016, from the series The Unchosen Ones

R. J. Kern

Cody and Gismo, Blue Earth County Fair, Minnesota, 2016, from the series The Unchosen Ones

R. J. Kern

Elena with Tiger Lily and Will with Tulip, Isanti County Fair, Minnesota, 2016, from the series The Unchosen Ones

R. J. Kern

Gabe and Buster, Clay County Fair, Minnesota, 2016, from the series The Unchosen Ones

R. J. Kern

Carolana and unnamed sheep, West Otter Tail County Fair, Minnesota, 2016, from the series The Unchosen Ones

R. J. Kern

Anna and Helen, Blue Earth County Fair, Minnesota, 2016, from the series The Unchosen Ones

R. J. Kern

Gigi and Reba, Freeborn County Fair, Minnesota, 2016, from the series The Unchosen Ones

R. J. Kern

Natalie and unnamed sheep, Mahnomen County Fair, Minnesota, 2016 , from the series The Unchosen Ones

R. J. Kern

Marcus and Sheep, Mahnomen County Fair, Minnesota, 2016 from the series The Unchosen Ones

R. J. Kern

Nelly and Mate, Clay County, Minnesota, USA, from the series Out to Pasture

R. J. Kern

Annabell and Friend, Anoka County, Minnesota, USA, from the series Out to Pasture

R. J. Kern

Dumb and Dumber, Freeborn County, Minnesota, USA, from the series Out to Pasture

R. J. Kern

Stella, Isanti County, Minnesota, USA , from the series Out to Pasture

R. J. Kern

Curly, Otter Tail County, Minnesota, USA, from the series Out to Pasture

R. J. Kern

Escapé (pron. es cahp é), Benton County, Minnesota, USA, from the series Out to Pasture

R. J. Kern

Farm Antics, Stearns County, Minnesota, USA, from the series Out to Pasture

R. J. Kern

Emerald, Stearns County, Minnesota, USA, from the series Out to Pasture

R. J. Kern

Three Graces, Stearns County, Minnesota, USA, 2016, from the series Out To Pasture

R. J. Kern

Green with Envy Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA, 2017, from the series Out to Pasture

R. J. Kern

Merry Go Round, Mahnomen County, Minnesota, USA, 2016, from the series Out to Pasture

R. J. Kern

1090 Blackface, Carver County, Minnesota, MN, USA, from the series Out to Pasture

R. J. Kern

Lofoten Pastoral Study, Norway

R. J. Kern

Selected Exhibitions

2020

Watermark Art Center, Bemidji, MN

2019
Plains Art Museum, Fargo, ND
Burnet Fine Art & Advisory, Wayzata, MN

2018
The Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester, MA
Burnet Fine Art & Advisory, Wayzata, MN
Mirage Gallery, Kobe, Japan
Klompching Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

2017
Yixian International Photography Festival, Anhui, China
Gallery 360, Minneapolis, MN
Central Lakes College, Brainerd, MN
The Phipps Center for the Arts, Hudson Hospital & Clinic Healing Arts, Hudson, WI

2015
Ecce Gallery, Fargo, ND
Kaddatz Gallery, Fergus Falls, MN

2014
Sanford Health Roger Maris Cancer Center, Fargo, ND

Collections

Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN

Center for Creative Photography, Tuscon, AZ

Center for Photography at Woodstock, NY

Fidelity Corporate Art Collection, Boston, MA

Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester, MA

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX

Plains Art Museum, Fargo, ND

Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, Tarpon Springs, FL

General Mills Corporate Collection, Minneapolis, MN

Masur Museum of Art, Monroe, LA

Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul, MN

Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, FL

Awards and accolades include PDN’s 30 2018, Critical Mass 2018 Top 50, CENTER 2017 Choice Award Winner (Curator’s Choice, First Place), the 2017 Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize (Finalist), and three Artist Initiative Grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board (2016, 2018, 2020). He was the Commemorative Artist for the 2019 Minnesota State Fair.

Kern's work has been presented in a number of publications, including a feature in National Geographic (November 2017), with his series The Unchosen Ones and Out To Pasture. Kern published his first monograph with Kehrer Verlag titled, The Sheep and the Goats, awarded one of "The Most Beautiful German Books 2018” by Stiftung Buchkunst and awarded Bronze by the prestigious Deutscher Fotobuchpreis 2018-19.