In the 1980's photography was still, generally, not considered art.  There were very few galleries specializing in photography.  No proliferation of photography books -yet.  But here and there new kinds of photography were emerging.  Some photographers were being published in art magazines.  Kern's work was appearing in normally staid magazines and advertising genres.  As a so-called commercial photographer, his work did not fit any existing genres or profiles.  This sparked debate whether commercial photography could be art.  With interview titles such as Reconstructing Photography and Commercial Surrealist, writers were trying to pin his work down and wondered, possibly, if something new was forming in the world of photography.

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