Josef Koudelka

Born in 1938 in Boskovice, Moravia, Josef Koudelka stands as an iconic figure in 20th-century photography. Initially an aeronautical engineer, he rose to public prominence in 1967 with his series on the Gypsies, capturing the soul of a marginalized people. However, it was in 1968, during the Soviet invasion of Prague, that Koudelka firmly established himself as a witness to history. His photographs, circulated anonymously, became symbols of Czech resistance.

A member of the Magnum agency since 1971, Koudelka embodies the nomadic spirit, journeying across Europe with his backpack, capturing desolate landscapes and faces etched by time. His work, steeped in profound melancholy, questions humanity's place in an ever-changing world.

Internationally acclaimed, Koudelka has been honored with numerous awards and accolades. His photographs, exhibited in the world's leading museums, continue to inspire and provoke, solidifying his reputation as a true poet of the image.

SELECTIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY

• GYPSIES, Author: Josef Koudelka, Aperture, 1975, Language: English,

• EXILES, Author: Josef Koudelka, Aperture, 1988, Language: English,

• CHAOS, Author: Josef Koudelka, Phaidon, 1999, Language: English,

• INVASION 68: PRAGUE, Author: Josef Koudelka, Aperture, 2008, Language: English,

• THE MAKING OF THE MEADOW (LA FABRIQUE DU PRÉ), Author: Josef Koudelka, Actes Sud, 2008, Language: French,

• WALL, Author: Josef Koudelka, Aperture, 2013, Language: English,

• NATIONALITY DOUBTFUL, Author: Josef Koudelka, Yale University Press, 2014, Language: English,