R. J. Kern / Solo Exhibition

Burnet Fine Art & Advisory’s newest exhibition showcases a selection of R. J. Kern’s photographs from his three series: The Unchosen Ones, Out To Pasture, and Divine Animals: The Bovidae. 

The Unchosen Ones takes place on the sidelines of 10 county fair animal contests in Minnesota in 2016. These county fairs lead up to the Minnesota State Fair, one of the largest and best- attended expositions in the world. The series consists of over 60 portraits of the animals and their young handlers that were not awarded first place but were instead “the unchosen ones”.

Out to Pasture serves as a secondary, deeper glimpse of The Unchosen Ones, offering insight into the cultural landscape these animals call "home."

Divine Animals: The Bovidae recognizes that throughout history, people and their land have been supported by Bovidae – specifically goat, sheep, and ram. These animals drove the economy for generations and were sources of income and sustenance.

R. J. Kern (b. 1978) is an American artist based in Minneapolis, Minnesota whose work explores ideas of home, ancestry, and a sense of place through the interaction of people, animals, and cultural landscapes.

IC:  'Gus and Doolittle,' Mahnomen County Fair, Minnesota, 2016, 2016, archival pigment print, from The Unchosen Ones