MONOGRAPHS & ARTIST BOOKS
2024 Dumber and Dumb, artist book by R. J. Kern
The Tomte: Years 1-13, artist book by R. J. Kern
2021 The Unchosen Ones: Portraits of an American Pastoral, R. J. Kern with essay by Alison Nordström. MW Editions: New York.
2020 The Best of the Best: A Virtual Artist Book, by R. J. Kern and collaborators
PUBLICATIONS
2024 “Die letzten Tage es County Fairs (The Last Days of the County Fairs)," by Manfred Zollner, fotoMAGAZIN (Germany), June
2023 “The Unchosen Ones,” interview by Guo Jing, PHOTOWORLD (新华通讯社) / Xinhua News Agency (China), June
“R. J. Kern,” by Dana Joseph, Cowboys and Indians Magazine, February/March
2022 “The Unchosen Ones,” with photographs and text by R. J. Kern, National Geographic Traveler (China), June
Eyes on Main Street (9th Edition Catalog), Curators: Ghadah Alrawi, Jérôme De Perlinghi, and Carol Johnson, Wilson, NC
2021 “R. J. Kern, The Best of the Best,” by Michael Kirchoff, Analog Forever Magazine, Edition 4 (Summer)
Eyes on Main Street (8th Edition Catalog), Curators: Ghadah Alrawi, Jérôme De Perlinghi, and Carol Johnson, Wilson, NC
2019 “Goat Workship” feature, photographs by R. J. Kern, Revolver, April/ May
“The Unchosen Ones and Divine Animals” feature, ČILICHILI (Czechoslovakia), March
2017 "The Unchosen," with photographs and text by R. J. Kern, National Geographic, November
FEATURED PRESS
2024
“Phase One XC40 Review : R. J. Kern In Iceland,” by R. J. Kern, Capture Integration blog, Nov 6 (gear review)
“Photographer R. J. Kern records rural fair culture,” by Deb Bently, Waseca County Pioneer, page 14, July 19 (feature)
“Minnesota State Fair ends popular commemorative art program,” by Alicia Eler, Star Tribune, June 20
“Divine Animals,” by Alicia Eler, Star Tribune, March 22 (exhibition mention)
2023
"The Unchosen Ones,” by Kristen Sindelar, Midwest Messenger, October 2
"OSU Museum of Art exhibit to celebrate lovable losers,” by Adam Engel, The O’Colly, April 4
"How an artist prepares for an exhibit," by Sue Bruns, The Bemidji Pioneer, March 8
2022
“The Unchosen Ones,” by Kelli Hanson, Twin Cities Live, KSTP/ABC, Original Air Date: June 29
"Minnesota sheep and goats 'graze' in the center of Palencia,” by Victor Vela, El Norte de Castilla (Spain), May 2
“The Unchosen Ones,” by Dana Stirling, Float photo magazine, April 24, (book review)
Podcast Interview by Ibarionex Perello, The Candid Frame, Episode 581, March 22
"R. J. Kern – The Unchosen Ones,” by Gerhard Clausing, PhotoBook Journal, Jan 19, (book review)
“Don't Miss: 'The Unchosen Ones,' by R.J. Kern,” by Alicia Eler, Star Tribune, Jan 21, (book review)
2021
"Future farmers in the American heartlands – in pictures," The Guardian, Dec 23
“R. J. Kern: The Unchosen Ones,” by Aline Smithson, Lenscratch, December 4
“Our Favorite Photobooks of 2021, by Elin Spring and Suzanne Révy, What You Will Remember, Nov 30
“Visiting artist program 2021: R. J. Kern,” by David Lindgren, The Concordian, September 23
“Vaunted Photography Print Auction Celebrates 40 Years With New Treasures — 10 Beautiful Pieces to Bid On,” by Haley Berkman Karren, PaperCity, February 8
2020
Virtual artists’ books, Continuum, University of Minnesota libraries, September 24
“12th Anniversary Group Exhibition,” Fraction, Issue 134, May
“FotoFest Reviews 2020,” by Aline Smithson and Brandi Hamilton, Lenscratch, April 25
“R. J. Kern,” feature by Elliot Linden, Aint Bad, March 19
A Photographic Life podcast interview, by Grant Scott, Jan 8
2019
“No One Shoots an Animal Quite Like Photographer R. J. Kern” feature by Elyssa Goodman, InsideHook, December 6
“Famous Photographer R. J. Kern Opens Exhibit At Plains Art Museum,” KVRR News, December 6
“R. J. Kern,” feature by Jeff Moorfoot, BETA Developments in Photography, Issue 33, Oct 6
“Say cheese curds! State Fair champion animals celebrated with fine art photograph,” feature by Tim Nelson, MPR News, August 30
Legacy Matters podcast, Episode 48, by Sam Devine, James Holmberg, and Sarah Anderson, August 29
“Crimson-hued Champions,” PDN Photo the Day, August 21
“R. J. Kern named 2019 State Fair Commemorative Artist,” feature Pamela Espeland, MinnPost, Jan 30
2018
“The Unchosen Ones,” feature and interview, Mono Chroma Magazine, Issue 003, November/December. Page 35 - 47
“Exalting the Ordinary,” exhibition review by Elin Spring, What Will You Remember, October 30
“From Fair to Field,” with photographs by R. J. Kern, Culture, Winter
"Photography Annual 59," Communication Arts, published work, Award of Excellence. July/August. Page 100-101
"We Tamed Animals—But How Have They Shaped Us?” by Coralie Kraft, Lensculture, May 10
"R. J. Kern: The Unchosen Ones," book review and interview by Aline Smithson, Lenscratch, April 27
" PDN’s 30 2018: New and Emerging Photographers to Watch," by David Walker, PDN, April 2018. Page 43
"The Animal Whisperers," book review by Suzanne Révy, What Will You Remember, March 27
"R. J. Kern segues from Weddings to Fine Art," by David Walker, PDN, January 2018. Pages 10-12
2017
"R. J. Kern: The Sheep and the Goats," by Aline Smithson, Lenscratch, November 22
"The Sheep and the Goats," PDN Photo of the Day, November 7
The Royal Photographic Society Journal, October, page 808
BBC, “The 2017 Royal Photographic Society competition,” October 4
“Fine Art of the Fauna,” by Ralf Hanselle, FotoMagazin, July 2017, Germany, 22
"No blue ribbon, but they still found fame," by Alicia Eler, Star Tribune, May 28, 2017. E1
"A photographer captures goat losers at Minnesota county fairs," by Alicia Eler, Star Tribune, May 22
"Innovation from Photo Lucida 2017," by Geoffrey Koslov, Foto Relevance, May 6
"The Human Landscape Photolucida 2017," by Elin Spring, What Will You Remember, April 27
2016
Artist Day Jobs: R. J. Kern, MN Original, Twin Cities PBS
"Don't miss one of the year's best art exhibits, 'Open Door' at Rosalux," by Gregory Scott, Star Tribune, December 22
"Divine Animals: The Bovidae by R. J. Kern, The Fence," by Elly Thomas, World Photography Organisation, November 19
"Mythology and the everyday collide in these images of bovidae," by Elizabeth Sulis Gear, FeatureShoot, November 10
2015
"Art of the state: Minnesota State Fair celebrates a host of talented artists," by Mary Abbe, Star Tribune, September 5
"Photographer makes portraits in the fields," John Lamb, Fargo Forum, July 23
“Why Does RJ Kern Pursue Personal Projects?, Seshu, Tiffinbox, June
2013
“Christina’s World Comes to Life,” Seven by Five, November 19
2012
“R.J. Kern, With the Assist from Rembrandt,” David Hobby, Strobist, September
2011