Artist Initiative

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2020 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$8,000
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Robert J. Kern AKA R. J. Kern
Recipient Type
Individual
Status
Completed
Start Date
March 2020
End Date
February 2021
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Anoka
Benton
Carver
Clay
Freeborn
Hennepin
Hubbard
Isanti
Mahnomen
Otter Tail
Scott
Wilkin
Anoka
Benton
Carver
Clay
Freeborn
Hennepin
Hubbard
Isanti
Mahnomen
Otter Tail
Scott
Wilkin
Project Overview

Artist Initiative

Project Details

Kern will create new work for his project, The Unchosen Ones, documenting adolescent subjects. A traveling exhibition of these subjects photographed four years prior will introduce the project to Minnesota county fair audiences.

Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications

Ardell Brede: Mayor of Rochester, elected 2002.; Peggy Burnet: Businesswoman, art collector, and community volunteer. Chair of the Nominating Committee, Smithsonian National Board. Trustee, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.; Uri Camarena: Business consultant, Metropolitan Economic Development Association. Board chair, Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Michael Charron: Dean of the School of the Arts, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Sean Dowse: Mayor of Red Wing, elected 2016. Former executive director, Sheldon Theatre. Board member for Minnesota Citizens for the Arts. Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Philip McKenzie, Oboe and English horn player; adjunct oboe faculty, NDSU. Secretary/Treasurer, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Mary McReynolds-Pellinen: Executive director, Lyric Center for the Arts; coordinator, First Stage Gallery. Officer at-large, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Thomas Moss: Consultant to nonprofits and government agencies.; Dobson West: Senior advisor, Spell Capital Partners Fund.; Christina Widdess: Arts organization consultant; former managing director, Penumbra Theatre.

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Melissa Borman: Photographer; faculty at Century College; Donald Clark: Professor of photography, Minnesota State University Moorhead; Tia Gardner: Visual artist, educator, and Black feminist scholar; Gregory Harp: Photographer; Jon Solinger: Photographer; Arts Board grantee; Gary Wahl: Photographer, sculptor, and restaurant developer

Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2019 First Special Session, chapter 2, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2020 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$8,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$2,850
Direct expenses
$10,850
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Through added creative time, the artist will create new work on a longitudinal project while advancing visual storytelling skills. The completion of museum-quality photographs suitable for printing and exhibition paired with story-telling (audio and text) components for exhibition. 2: The artist will travel a community exhibition to ten county fairs in greater Minnesota. Artist talks and public discussions will be included. Attendees will be counted and given opportunity to complete a written evaluation form seeking feedback after viewing the exhibit.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Through added creative time, the artist created new work on a longitudinal project while advancing visual storytelling skills. The artist created a new body of work of museum-quality photographs suitable for printing and exhibition paired with story-telling (audio and text) components. 2: The artist will travelled an exhibition to greater Minnesota. A virtual artist talk and public discussion were included. The artist exhibited two exhibitions, one virtual and one in person at the MSP airport.

Source of Additional Funds

Other,local or private

Project Manager
First Name
Robert
Last Name
Kern
Organization Name
Robert J. Kern AKA RJ Kern
State
MN
Phone
(303) 474-0983x c
Email
rj@kern-photo.com
Administered By
Administered by
Location

Griggs Midway Building, Suite 304,
540 Fairview Avenue North,
St. Paul, MN 55104

Phone
(651) 539-2650 or toll-free (800) 866-2787
Email the Agency