Josef Koudelka (1938-present, Czechoslovakian) is most famous for his photos of Gypsies in Romania, which were taken only two days before the Soviet invasion in 1968. He captured the invasion of Prague and had to publish his photos under the initial P.P. for Prague Photographer for fear of reprisals. These photographs were published by Magnum and thus began his long association with the photography agency. Due to this relationship, he was given a visa for Britain and stayed there for more than 10 years under political asylum. By 1987, he had become a French citizen and by 1990 he was able to finally return to the Czech Republic where he now lives.
Koudelka’s work is known for its dark view of human existence, particularly the hard life of Gypsies; however, amidst this, he has interspersed his work with candid photos of cats. Not surprising was his relationship with Henri Cartier-Bresson, another cat lover.
Koudleka has won numerous awards and has exhibited his works at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and many other prestigious venues.
Gypsies with Cat, 1963, Czechoslovakia
Romania, 1968, Gypsies with a Kitten
Spain, Men with Cat, 1971
England, 1973 Cat Lying Down
Paris, 1973 Man on Bike with Cat
France, 1975 Cat in Window
England, Cat in Cemetery, 1978
A cat in an English cemetery, 1978
1978 Spain, Cat in foreground
Cat, Italy 1981
Cat, Santorini, 1981
Cat, Greece, 1981
United States, Cat, 1984
Cat, Turkey 1984
Cat, Romania, Arad County Gernik, 1992
Ukraine, Odessa. 1993. An old woman and cat sort through a city trash can.
Rome. 1999, Cat in front of Slaughterhouse
Athens, 2003 Cat at the Acropolis
Feeding a Kitten in the Peloponnese
Cat, England
White Cat
Cat, Portugal
Black Cat, Israel
Josef Koudelka, Cat
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