Black+White Photography

Michael Kenna – capturing nature’s ethereal beauty

Poetic black & white landscapes by master photographer and printer Michael Kenna are currently on show at the Photographers’ Gallery in London.
Image: ©Michael Kenna

Taking its title from the Japanese onomatopoeia Shin Shin (しんしん) – describing the quiet hush of falling snow ­­– the exhibition captures the meditative stillness and deep reverence for nature that define Kenna’s work.

Dakekanba and Snow Barriers, Hokkaido, Japan. 2020 © Michael Kenna

Born in England in 1953 and now based in the US, Kenna’s early years in seminary school instilled a lasting fascination with ritual, mystery and the unseen. Over five decades, he has developed a distinctive visual language shaped by Japan’s quiet minimalism ­– working at dawn or night, often with exposures lasting up to 10 hours, to create luminous silver gelatin prints by hand. 

Alley of Trees, Damyang, Jeollanamdo, South Korea. 2012 © Michael Kenna

The exhibition, which marks Michael Kenna’s new representation by the Photographers’ Gallery, can be enjoyed at the Print Sales Galley until 25 January 2026.

Find out more here.

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