Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Swedish, b. 1972
Long before he was one of the top male models of the 1990s — appearing in fashion campaigns for Calvin Klein, Versace, Guess? and Roberto Cavalli — Mikael Kenta was a photographer. Today he creates stunning portraits that capture the humanity, strength and character of each of his subjects.
Born in 1972 in Gothenburg, Kenta showed a love of photography at an early age — his father gave him his first camera when he was only seven. In later years, Kenta studied science and graphic design. However, he decided he was more interested in photography and, in his spare time, worked as an assistant to a fashion photographer in Gothenburg.
In 1994, Kenta went to Milan, keen to learn more about fashion and art photography. In an attempt to launch his photographic career, he applied to several fashion agencies — as it turned out, they were more interested in signing Kenta as a model.
During his 15-year modeling career, Kenta gained valuable insight into the world of fashion photography, learning various techniques about posing subjects, lighting and composition — elements that make up much of Kenta’s own photography today.
Although he prefers to work in black and white photography, citing revered American fashion photographer Herb Ritts as an influence, Kenta demonstrates considerable proficiency with color photography — inspired by the “kitsch pop Surrealism” that characterizes the work of American MTV music video director and photographer Dave LaChapelle. This is evident in Kenta’s “Iconic” series featuring works such as Mr. Donut, Kind of Blue and Coke. In 2016, the series was shown at the “Walk of Inspiration” exhibition in Stockholm.
The following year, Kenta spent six months on the island of Ibiza, meeting and photographing several people who made a lasting impression on him. This culminated in a striking series of hyperrealistic black-and-white portraits titled “People from Ibiza.”
Kenta’s contemporary photography continues to garner critical acclaim from art critics and collectors alike, with his works featured in galleries throughout Europe and the United States.
Find original Mikael Kenta photography on 1stDibs.
to
6
22
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
28
28
18
10
26
18
12
10
10
10
9
6
6
5
5
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
28
28
43
2,382
1,365
725
222
3
1
28
Artist: Mikael Kenta
Set From the Ibiza People series
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
“People from Ibiza” Kenta first came to visit the magic island of Ibiza as a young man at the age of 18 and fell in love with the diversity of personalities and expressions of freedo...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Black and White
Francisco From Ibiza Series
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
“People from Ibiza” Kenta first came to visit the magic island of Ibiza as a young man at the age of 18 and fell in love with the diversity of personalities and expressions of freedo...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Black and White
Gonzalo From Ibiza Series
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
“People from Ibiza” Kenta first came to visit the magic island of Ibiza as a young man at the age of 18 and fell in love with the diversity of personalities and expressions of freedo...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Black and White
Francisco and Mariette, From Ibiza Series, Diptych
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
“People from Ibiza” Kenta first came to visit the magic island of Ibiza as a young man at the age of 18 and fell in love with the diversity of personalities and expressions of freedo...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Black and White, Archival Pigment
Jesus From Ibiza Series
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
“People from Ibiza” Kenta first came to visit the magic island of Ibiza as a young man at the age of 18 and fell in love with the diversity of personalities and expressions of freedo...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Black and White
Pedro. From Ibiza Series
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
“People from Ibiza” Kenta first came to visit the magic island of Ibiza as a young man at the age of 18 and fell in love with the diversity of personalities and expressions of freedo...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Black and White
Ron From Ibiza Series
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
“People from Ibiza” Kenta first came to visit the magic island of Ibiza as a young man at the age of 18 and fell in love with the diversity of personalities and expressions of freedo...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Black and White
Jesus 2 From Ibiza Series
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
“People from Ibiza” Kenta first came to visit the magic island of Ibiza as a young man at the age of 18 and fell in love with the diversity of personalities and expressions of freedo...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Black and White
Mr Donut, Kind of Blue, and V. From Iconic Series Triptych
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The “Iconic” series was presented as part of the exhibition “Walk of Inspiration” showed in Stockholm in 2016. These vibrant unique color images are an homage to the “kitsch pop surr...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Color, Archival Pigment
Marbella From Iconic Series, Large Size
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The “Iconic” series was presented as part of the exhibition “Walk of Inspiration” showed in Stockholm in 2016. These vibrant unique color images are an homage to the “kitsch pop surr...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Color, Archival Pigment
Safari From Iconic Series, Large Size
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The “Iconic” series was presented as part of the exhibition “Walk of Inspiration” showed in Stockholm in 2016. These vibrant unique color images are an homage to the “kitsch pop surr...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Color
Coke From Iconic Series, Medium Size
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The “Iconic” series was presented as part of the exhibition “Walk of Inspiration” showed in Stockholm in 2016. These vibrant unique color images are an homage to the “kitsch pop surr...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Color
Kind of Blue From Iconic Series, Medium Size
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The “Iconic” series was presented as part of the exhibition “Walk of Inspiration” showed in Stockholm in 2016. These vibrant unique color images are an homage to the “kitsch pop surr...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Color
Pedro and Mariette, From Ibiza Series, Diptych
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
“People from Ibiza” Kenta first came to visit the magic island of Ibiza as a young man at the age of 18 and fell in love with the diversity of personalities and expressions of freedo...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Black and White, Archival Pigment
Jesus 2 and Jesus, From Ibiza Series, Diptych
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
“People from Ibiza” Kenta first came to visit the magic island of Ibiza as a young man at the age of 18 and fell in love with the diversity of personalities and expressions of freedo...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Black and White, Archival Pigment
Mariette From Ibiza Series
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
“People from Ibiza” Kenta first came to visit the magic island of Ibiza as a young man at the age of 18 and fell in love with the diversity of personalities and expressions of freedo...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Black and White
Anibal From Ibiza Series, Small Size
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
“People from Ibiza” Kenta first came to visit the magic island of Ibiza as a young man at the age of 18 and fell in love with the diversity of personalities and expressions of freedo...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Black and White
Yello. From Iconic Series, Medium Size
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The “Iconic” series was presented as part of the exhibition “Walk of Inspiration” showed in Stockholm in 2016. These vibrant unique color images are an homage to the “kitsch pop surr...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Color, Archival Pigment
Why Not From Iconic Series, Medium Size
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The “Iconic” series was presented as part of the exhibition “Walk of Inspiration” showed in Stockholm in 2016. These vibrant unique color images are an homage to the “kitsch pop surr...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Color
V From Iconic Series, Large Size
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The “Iconic” series was presented as part of the exhibition “Walk of Inspiration” showed in Stockholm in 2016. These vibrant unique color images are an homage to the “kitsch pop surr...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Color
Materia VI, From The Series Materia, Abstract Limited Edition Color photograph
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The MATERIA series (2023)by Mikael Kenta is an exploration of the fluid boundary between rigid industrial material and the ethereal world of light. Born from an all-night session in ...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Color, Archival Pigment
Materia V, From The Series Materia, Abstract Limited Edition Color photograph
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The MATERIA series (2023)by Mikael Kenta is an exploration of the fluid boundary between rigid industrial material and the ethereal world of light. Born from an all-night session in ...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Color, Archival Pigment
Materia III, From The Series Materia, Abstract Limited Edition Color photograph
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The MATERIA series (2023)by Mikael Kenta is an exploration of the fluid boundary between rigid industrial material and the ethereal world of light. Born from an all-night session in ...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Color
Materia IV, From The Series Materia, Abstract Limited Edition Color photograph
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The MATERIA series (2023)by Mikael Kenta is an exploration of the fluid boundary between rigid industrial material and the ethereal world of light. Born from an all-night session in ...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Color
Materia I, From The Series Materia, Abstract Limited Edition Color photograph
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The MATERIA series (2023) by Mikael Kenta is an exploration of the fluid boundary between rigid industrial material and the ethereal world of light. Born from an all-night session in...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Color, Archival Pigment
Materia II, From The Series Materia, Abstract Limited Edition Color photograph
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The MATERIA series (2023) by Mikael Kenta is an exploration of the fluid boundary between rigid industrial material and the ethereal world of light. Born from an all-night session in...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Color, Archival Pigment
Ron and Mariette, From the Ibiza Series, Diptych
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
“People from Ibiza” Kenta first came to visit the magic island of Ibiza as a young man at the age of 18 and fell in love with the diversity of personalities and expressions of freedo...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Black and White, Archival Pigment
Mr Donut From Iconic Series, Large Size
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
The “Iconic” series was presented as part of the exhibition “Walk of Inspiration” showed in Stockholm in 2016. These vibrant unique color images are an homage to the “kitsch pop surr...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Color
Related Items
Chris Harris, Los Angeles, 21st Century, Contemporary, Celebrity, Photography
By Greg Gorman
Located in München, BY
Edition 25
Also available in 76 x 101 cm / 30 x 40 inch, Edition 25
Black and white portrait of Chris Harris.
From personality portraits and advertising campaigns to magazine layo...
Category
1980s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
$7,500
H 23.63 in W 19.69 in
Surfing Florida Style - Black and White Photograph, Car, Beach, Ocean, Teenager
By Al Satterwhite
Located in Denton, TX
Surfing Florida Style by Al Satterwhite depicts a young man surfing on the water. He holds a rope attached to a car, which tows him through the w...
Category
1960s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
$2,000
H 11 in W 14 in D 0.1 in
Bob Johnson (co-driver Dan Gurney) Shelby Cobra FIA 289/ Daytona
By Al Satterwhite
Located in Denton, TX
Edition of 25
Signed, titled, dated, print date, and numbered.
*Images show print in size 11 x 14 in.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
11 x 14 in., Edition of 25
16 x 20 in., Edition of 25
24 x 36 i...
Category
1960s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
$2,500
H 16 in W 20 in D 0.1 in
New York City, Harlem, African American Children 1960s, Muscle Boy, Limited Ed
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Muscle Boy is an iconic image by Leonard Freed who was a pioneer in socially conscious photojournalism. In this photo a boy flexes his muscles for the camera perhaps making a statem...
Category
1960s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigme...
Zarina - Signed limited edition nude art print, Black white photo, Sensual Model
By Ian Sanderson
Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona
Zarina - Limited edition archival pigment print, 1987 - Edition of 5
This image was captured on film. The negative was scanned creating a digital file which is then printed...
Category
1980s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Black and White, Giclée, Pigment, Arc...
$2,855 Sale Price
20% Off
H 29.53 in W 21.66 in D 0.08 in
Williamsburg, New York City, Jewish, Street Photography 1950s, Limited Edition
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Capturing the Jewish diaspora and the Hasidic community in Brooklyn, New York in the 1950s, this is subject matter which American photographer Leonard Freed from Brooklyn widely cove...
Category
1950s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigme...
New York City, Harlem, Muscle Boy, Black and White, Iconic Photo of Children
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Muscle Boy, Harlem, 1963 by Leonard Freed is a signed and numbered archival Iris print. The edition 25/100 was in a planned edition of 100 and halted at 25 prints (as annotated on ve...
Category
1960s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Black and White, Digital Pigment, Photographic Film, Arc...
Eli Reed - Photo of a young girl
By Eli Reed
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Signed Eli Reed
USA. Perth Amboy, New Jersey. 2000. A close-up of 8-year-old Lorraine Santiago on Oak Street.
Eli Reed was born in the US in 1946 and studied pictorial illustrati...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Stevie Wonder V1, Los Angeles, California - Black and White, Musician, Piano
By Al Satterwhite
Located in Denton, TX
Stevie Wonder V1 by Al Satterwhite is a black and white portrait of the famous American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer.
Archival Pigment Print
20 x 24 in.
Ed. of 2...
Category
1970s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
$7,500
H 20 in W 24 in D 0.01 in
Pink Legs I
By Leandro Franco
Located in New York City, NY
Leandro Franco
Pink Legs I, 2020
48 x 40 inches
120 x 100 cm
Archival Pigment Print
Edition of 13
UnFramed
Fashion Photography - Portrait - Black and white
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Untitled (Nr. 0894) Photography 18" x 24" Edition of 20 by Rowan Daly
By Rowan Daly
Located in Culver City, CA
Untitled (Nr. 0894) Photography 18" x 24" Edition of 20 by Rowan Daly
Unframed - ships rolled in a tube
Signed and numbered by the artist
Ben Cope + Rowan Daly Off the Grid
Off the Grid is the culmination of a six-year photographic journey through Baja, Mexico. Ben Cope and Rowan Daly began their travels in 2014, working their way through the towns of la Salinas, Baja Mar, and Cantamar, down through Ensanada and la Bufadora. This series of photographs depicts the pair’s adventures and explorations. Off the Grid documents the textures, people, and places visited during this incredible journey.
Ben Cope is a Los Angeles based portrait artist with a BFA in ceramic sculpture and photography from Columbus State University. He maintains a successful career with a diverse portfolio including fashion, editorial, celebrity portraiture and advertising. He is widely known for his celebrity and fashion portraiture, which has been published internationally in publications such as Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, GQ, The Work Magazine, Fucking Young, and l’Officiel, and has shot international campaigns for such clients as Adidas, L’Oréal, Paul Mitchell, and Vidal Sassoon. He has photographed Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lopez, David Lynch, Alex Rodriguez...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
$700
H 18 in W 24 in D 0.1 in
New York, Policeman with Puppet and Gun, Black and White Photograph, Limited Ed
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Policeman with Puppet and Gun, New York City, USA 1979 by Leonard Freed is a black and white limited edition photograph from Freed's Policework series. The photograph, 13" x 19" is an archival pigment print with the photographer's copyright stamp and estate signature by the photographer's widow, Brigitte Freed. The print is in an edition of 10. Available: 1/10, 10/10. Provenance: Freed Estate
***
Artist’s Bio: Leonard Freed (1929-2006) was an American photographer from Brooklyn, New York. His "Black in White America" series made him known as a documentarian, a social documentary photographer. Freed worked as a freelance photographer from 1961 onwards and as a Magnum photographer Freed traveled widely abroad and, in the US, photographing African Americans (1964-65), events in Israel (1967-68, 1973), and the New York City police department (1972-79). Freed's coverage of the American civil rights...
Category
1970s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigme...
Previously Available Items
Francisco and Mariette, From Ibiza Series, Diptych
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Francisco and Mariette, Diptych
From the "Ibiza" Series
Archival Pigment Print with a 1.57-inch white border.
Individual Image size: 62.99 in. H x 47.24 in. W
Overal size: 62.99 in. ...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Black and White, Archival Pigment
Mikael Kenta portrait photography for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Mikael Kenta portrait photography available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of portrait photography to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of blue, green, pink and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Mikael Kenta in archival pigment print, pigment print and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 21st century and contemporary and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large Mikael Kenta portrait photography, so small editions measuring 24 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Jan C. Schlegel, Ricky Cohete, and Amy Touchette. Mikael Kenta portrait photography prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $2,200 and tops out at $10,100, while the average work can sell for $3,500.