La guerrière (2019) Sculpture by Mike Bentaberry

Mike Bentaberry, artist photographer, was born in 1952 in the heart of the Basque Country before quickly settling in Paris with his family. After training in sculpture at the Beaux-Arts, where he discovered that the final result required too long a time for his taste, he turned to the study of photography. His career then led him to become the assistant of a renowned fashion photographer. Very quickly, he developed a passion for charming photography at the same time, influenced by the audacious approach of Helmut Newton, mixing fashion and eroticism.

Always eager for new encounters and experiences, he gradually specialized in event reporting, particularly in discotheques, private clubs and automobile circuits. However, charming photography and portraiture remain a priority for him, merging naturally with his interests in sculpture and body casting. This permanent quest to capture emotion and embellish human forms is rooted in his desire to immortalize unique moments in life.

Mike Bentaberry also makes body casts on request, whether busts, backs, faces or hands. These prints are taken in his studio, by appointment only. He then produces one or more prints, sometimes using plaster, sometimes cement-stone. When he opts for cement-stone or plaster, his creations become veritable sculptures, in which the artist exercises his freedom of interpretation, sometimes modifying the moulds, incorporating decorative elements or even adopting new styles by adding accessories.

Mike Bentaberry, through his rich and eclectic career, passionately explores the different facets of visual art, from photography to sculpture and molding. His works testify to his inextinguishable desire to capture the beauty, the emotion and the singularity of the beings and moments that populate his artistic universe.

• Nationality: FRANCE
• Date of birth : 1952
• Artistic domains:
• Groups: Contemporary French Artists