Karen Bystedt

Karen Bystedt is an acclaimed photographer and artist best known for her iconic portraits of Andy Warhol. While still a student at NYU in 1982, she boldly arranged a private shoot with Warhol at The Factory — producing what Patrick McMullan later called “one of the best modeling shots ever taken of him.”

Her first book, Not Just Another Pretty Face (1983), featured early portraits of Brad Pitt, Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Robert Downey Jr., Johnny Depp, and others long before they became household names. In 2011, Bystedt rediscovered ten lost Warhol negatives, launching The Lost Warhols, a celebrated series that has since inspired collaborations with Shepard Fairey, Peter Tunney, and Bradley Theodore.

Exhibited at the Andy Warhol Museum, Astrup Fearnley Museum, and major international art fairs, Bystedt’s work bridges photography, fine art, and cultural history. Her legacy lies in preserving icons while continually reinventing her vision for new generations.