Step into a world where light becomes memory and photography becomes meditation. Join Lakewood’s Artist in Residence, R.J. Kern, for an intimate conversation around his latest exhibit, Ethereal Echoes: A Journey of Light. Discover how the serenity of Lakewood Cemetery and its surrounding beauty inspired Kern’s breathtaking, otherworldly creations. Together, we’ll explore the story behind the images, the artistic process, and the deeper meanings woven into each frame. 

After the talk, guests are invited to enjoy a light reception in the Welcome Center. 

About the exhibit: 

In Ethereal Echoes, R.J. Kern fuses ancient spiritual philosophy with experimental photographic chemistry to create hauntingly beautiful works of art. Drawing on Buddhist teachings of impermanence and rebirth, Kern employs Chromoskedasic techniques – altering expired silver gelatin prints to produce shimmering, mirror-like surfaces reminiscent of 19th-century daguerreotypes. 

Crafted just steps from the graves of his ancestors in Lakewood Cemetery, each image reflects the rhythms of life, death, and renewal. Through organic forms shaped by light and alchemy, this series invites viewers to pause and reflect on the cycles that connect us all. 

The exhibit will be on display in the Welcome Center Gallery at Lakewood through September 1.