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.
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...
Black and White, Archival Pigment
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...
Black and White, Archival Pigment
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...
Archival Pigment, Black and White
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...
Archival Pigment, Color
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...
Color, Archival Pigment
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...
Archival Pigment, Black and White
Mr Donut, Kind of Blue, and V Triptych. From Iconic Series
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...
Color, Archival Pigment
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...
Archival Pigment, Color
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...
Archival Pigment, Black and White
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...
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...
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...
Archival Pigment, Black and White
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Archival Pigment, Color
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...
Archival Pigment, Color
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...
Black and White, Archival Pigment
$10,000
H 30.5 in W 48 in
Ode to Leutze's Washington Crossing the Delaware
By E2 - Kleinveld & Julien
Located in New Orleans, LA
Edition 2 of 3 with 2 APs Available framing $750 Shot in 2016 in New Orleans, background illustrated by Marco Ventura Inspired by Emanuel Leutze’s Washington Crossing the Delaware...
Archival Pigment
Ode to Frida Kahlo's The Broken Column
By E2 - Kleinveld & Julien
Located in New Orleans, LA
16 x 12 inches - Edition 2 of 7 with 2 APs JONATHAN FERRARA GALLERY proudly presents The Changing Face of Portraiture, the premier solo exhibition of photography by artistic duo E2 ...
Archival Pigment
$1,650
H 18 in W 27 in D 0.1 in
Iconic Portrait of a Young Man Wearing Tribal Face Paint, Ethiopia, Fashion
By Drew Doggett
Located in US
"Untitled 37" Wearing face paint is typical in the Karo tribe. While the designs are based on tradition, each young man is encouraged to create their own motif. This award-winnin...
Archival Pigment
Ode to Frida Kahlo's Self-Portrait with Monkey
By E2 - Kleinveld & Julien
Located in New Orleans, LA
24 x 18 inches - Edition 1 of 5 with 2 APs STATEMENT: e2, a collaboration between New Orleans artists Elizabeth Kleinveld and Epaul Julien, re-imagines iconic images from the histor...
Archival Pigment
Ode to Frida Kahlo's The Broken Column
By E2 - Kleinveld & Julien
Located in New Orleans, LA
24 x 18 inches - Edition 1 of 5 with 2 APs JONATHAN FERRARA GALLERY proudly presents The Changing Face of Portraiture, the premier solo exhibition of photography by artistic duo E2 ...
Archival Pigment
Ode to Frida Kahlo's Self-Portrait with Monkey
By E2 - Kleinveld & Julien
Located in New Orleans, LA
Edition 1 of 3, 2 APs Large Size: 36 x 27 inches STATEMENT: e2, a collaboration between New Orleans artists Elizabeth Kleinveld and Epaul Julien, re-imagines iconic images from the ...
Archival Pigment
Ode to Frida Kahlo's The Broken Column
By E2 - Kleinveld & Julien
Located in New Orleans, LA
Edition sizes: 36 x 27 inches - Edition of 3 with 2 APs 24 x 18 inches - Edition of 5 with 2 APs 16 x 12 inches - Edition of 7 with 2 APs JONATHAN FERRARA GALLERY proudly presents T...
Archival Pigment
$2,350
H 24 in W 36 in D 0.1 in
Bold Jewelry on Display in Ethiopia, Fashion, Horizontal, Portrait
By Drew Doggett
Located in US
"Untitled 9" The distinctly preserved cultures of the Omo Valley in Ethiopia are featured in this print series titled Omo: Expressions of a People. For this series, Drew received ...
Archival Pigment
$9,413
H 47.25 in W 37.41 in D 0.2 in
Reflection of a Giant, animal, wildlife, b/w photography, elephant
By Joachim Schmeisser
Located in München, BY
Edition 12 Signed and numbered on front and on a Certificate of Authenticity Available in different sizes and editions. A big elephant bull in Ngorongoro crater is drinking. A mirro...
Archival Pigment
$5,200
H 19.69 in W 15.75 in
Helen Mirren, Contemporary, Celebrity, Photography, Portrait
By Greg Gorman
Located in München, BY
Combined Edition 25 Also available in 50 x 60 cm/ 20 x 24 inch and as combined Edition 10 in 76 x 101 cm / 30 x 40 inch 101 x 127 cm / 40 x 50 inch Portrait of Dame Helen Lydia Mirr...
Archival Pigment
Sold
H 62.99 in W 94.4 in D 0.1 in
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. ...
Black and White, Archival Pigment