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.
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Artist: Mikael Kenta
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, Medium 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
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
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
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
Materia V, From The Series Materia, Abstract Limited Edition Color photograph
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Mikael Kenta, a fashion and art photographer, is inspired by his deep knowledge of fine art printing and his pursuit of high-quality productions. His work fuses art and profession, r...
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
Mikael Kenta, a fashion and art photographer, is inspired by his deep knowledge of fine art printing and his pursuit of high-quality productions. His work fuses art and profession, r...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Color, Archival Pigment
Jesus 2 From Ibiza Series, Medium 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
Materia IV, From The Series Materia, Abstract Limited Edition Color photograph
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Mikael Kenta, a fashion and art photographer, is inspired by his deep knowledge of fine art printing and his pursuit of high-quality productions. His work fuses art and profession, r...
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, 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
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 From Ibiza Series, Medium 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
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
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
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
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
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
Materia VI, From The Series Materia, Abstract Limited Edition Color photograph
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Mikael Kenta, a fashion and art photographer, is inspired by his deep knowledge of fine art printing and his pursuit of high-quality productions. His work fuses art and profession, r...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Color, Archival Pigment
Materia I, From The Series Materia, Abstract Limited Edition Color photograph
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Mikael Kenta, a fashion and art photographer, is inspired by his deep knowledge of fine art printing and his pursuit of high-quality productions. His work fuses art and profession, r...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Color
Materia II, From The Series Materia, Abstract Limited Edition Color photograph
By Mikael Kenta
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Mikael Kenta, a fashion and art photographer, is inspired by his deep knowledge of fine art printing and his pursuit of high-quality productions. His work fuses art and profession, r...
Category
2010s Contemporary Mikael Kenta Portrait Photography
Materials
Color, Archival Pigment
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
Ron From Ibiza Series, Large 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
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
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
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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.