ALL: Master Collection List
Nationality
American, English
Preview
Date of Work
2026
Medium
Acrylic on canvas
Height
37 3/4”
Width
35 7/8”
Depth
3/4”
Collection/Provenance
Research & Economic Development Collection
Status
Displayed
Location
Division of Research & Economic Development
Artist Bio
Adam Kemp was originally born in a village forty miles northeast of London. He earned his BFA in Newcastle in 1986 and moved to North Dakota in 1987 where he earned his MFA in sculpture from the University of North Dakota.
Kemp is a resident of Grand Forks. He is well known for his bright, eclectic style throughout the Red River Valley region And public installations in downtown Grand Forks.
Additional Information
PRAIRE SURREALISM
In Thin Ice, part of his "Marked Unmarked" series, Adam Kemp reimagines the prairie sundog as a field of countless colored squares converging into a radiant center. The work transforms a familiar landscape into something dreamlike, reflecting the spirit of Prairie Surrealism: a place where weather, memory, science, and imagination overlap. Kemp describes the individual squares as acts of helping others and resisting negativity, together creating a shared source of light.
Like research itself, the image suggests that discovery rarely emerges from a single breakthrough. Instead, it is built through the accumulation of many small contributions that, together, reveal something larger than any one part.
Condition
Excellent
Rights
Images are provided for educational purposes only and may not be reproduced for commercial use. Images may be protected by artist copyright. A credit line is required to be used for any public non-commercial educational purpose. The credit line must include, “Image courtesy of the University of North Dakota.”