As the very last panel of ‘The official program of the Korea-France Year 2015-2016’, The Museum of Photography, Seoul organizes a solo exhibition of Czech-born French photographer, Josef Koudelka to celebrate the program’s closing. He is known best in both Korea and abroad for his black-and-white images of Europe’s itinerant Roma, or gypsies people. Another acclaimed series is Invasion 68 Prague, which he photographed the night of August 21st, when Warsaw Pact tanks invaded the city of Prague. In 1970, he sought asylum in England and continued the series Exile(1970~1994), and Wall, which reflects well his delicate views and sensibilities, while being stateless. From 1971, he becomes the member of Magnum Photos.

Koudelka’s very first exhibition in Korea introduces the early work Gypsies, representative of the pure sensitivity of the artist. The book Gypsies, first published in 1975 in cooperation with Robert Delpire, published by Aperture, proclaimed the emergence of “Josef Koudelka” in the world which immediately acknowledged his novel and distinct vision. It was not a traditional reportage, nor was it documentary. It was his personal vision, which doesn’t fit into any category.