Michael Kenna | The Artist Proofs

A collection of Michael Kenna’s most collected work over the past 50 years, featuring the remaining Artist Proof editions of photographs whose numbered limited editions have now been sold out by the 30 galleries in 14 countries that currently represent the artist. The collection represents an opportunity to acquire a print from editions in which the negative has been formally retired within Kenna’s archive. All of Kenna’s silver gelatin prints are still made by Michael personally in his darkroom at his home in Seattle.

 

“Reflecting on 50 years of silver gelatin printing, a somewhat arduous, slow and painstaking process, I believe the final prints make it all very well worthwhile. Photographs, embedded in the gelatin, have been transformed in an almost alchemical process into three-dimensional precious, jewel-like prints. Machine-made pigment prints are of excellent quality, but, at least for me, silver prints remain the gold standard in photography. It is also comforting to know that these prints are made to archival standards which means they should well outlast myself and collectors. I keep records of every print I have signed and editioned, and have prints in my own collection which I made 50 years ago. They are as good today as when I first made them.” Michael Kenna 2025

 

During Kenna’s fifty-year career, his handmade silver gelatin prints have been shown in over five hundred solo exhibitions and over four hundred group exhibitions in galleries and museums throughout the world. They are also included in well over a hundred permanent institutional collections. Ninety monographs and exhibition catalogues have so far been published on Kenna’s work.

 

In 2022, Kenna donated his life’s archive of photographs to be housed by the French state at the Mediatheque de Photographie et Patrimoine in Montigny-le Bretonneux. The donation included 3,683 original silver gelatin photographic prints of images made in 43 different countries, along with accompanying negatives and scans, 175,000 other negatives, 6,422 working prints from 1983-2000, 1,280 Polaroid prints, 87 books and monographs and all archives relating to Kenna’s artistic activity for the past 50 years.

 

"It was important to me that my life archive would be situated in one place, and it is heartening to know that my work will rest alongside the oeuvres of photographers that I love and admire, such as Jacques Henri Lartigue, André Kertész, Willy Ronis and others.” Michael Kenna 2025

 

(for Limited Editions of 45 SOLD OUT)

Artist Proof #1 USD $15,000

Artist Proof #2 USD $20,000

Artist Proof #3 USD $25,000

Artist Proof #4 USD $30,000

 

(for Limited Editions of 25 SOLD OUT)

Artist Proof #1 USD $20,000

Artist Proof #2 USD $25,000

Artist Proof #3 USD $30,000