Josef Koudelka: Next – A Visual Biography by Melissa Harris
The ultimate and exclusive authorized biography of Josef Koudelka offers an intimate exploration of the life and career of one of photography’s most acclaimed and influential figures. Over a remarkable sixty-year journey with the medium, Koudelka has delved into a wide variety of photographic themes—ranging from his early theater photography to his iconic documentation of the Roma, his unforgettable coverage of the 1968 Soviet invasion of Prague, the isolation of exile, and the profound, often destructive impact of humanity on the natural world.
Josef Koudelka: Next encompasses all of his projects, tracing his artistic evolution against the backdrop of his personal story and creative process. This deeply engaging and richly detailed biography is the result of hundreds of hours of interviews with Koudelka conducted over nearly a decade, complemented by conversations with his friends, family, colleagues, and collaborators from around the globe.
Crafted by writer, editor, and curator Melissa Harris, the book offers a rare, revealing insight into the mind of this famously private artist. Lavishly illustrated with hundreds of photographs—including biographical snapshots, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and iconic works spanning from the 1950s to the present—it provides a comprehensive visual and narrative portrait. The book’s design has been realized in collaboration with Koudelka himself and his longtime Czech collaborator, designer Aleš Najbrt.
A co publication by Aperture and the Magnum Foundation, Josef Koudelka: Next stands as a definitive tribute to a singular artistic legacy.
About the Authors
Josef Koudelka, born in 1938 in Czechoslovakia and naturalized as a French citizen in 1987, is a renowned photographer and a leading figure in the humanistic and poetic tradition that shaped European photography in the latter half of the 20th century. Initially trained as an aeronautical engineer, Koudelka began photographing Roma communities in 1962 during his free time, eventually dedicating himself entirely to photography by the late 1960s.
In 1968, he captured the Soviet invasion of Prague, publishing his work anonymously under the initials P.P. (Prague Photographer). The following year, his photographs earned him the Overseas Press Club’s Robert Capa Gold Medal. Seeking political asylum, Koudelka left Czechoslovakia in 1970 and soon after joined Magnum Photos, where he continues to contribute.
Koudelka’s first major publication, Gypsies, was released by Aperture in 1975, followed by other seminal works such as Exiles (1988), Chaos (1999), Invasion 68: Prague (2008), Wall (2013), and Ruines (2020).
He has received numerous prestigious accolades, including the Prix Nadar (1978), Grand Prix National de la Photographie (1989), Grand Prix Cartier-Bresson (1991), and the Hasselblad Foundation International Award in Photography (1992).
Koudelka’s work has been exhibited extensively in renowned institutions worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art and the International Center of Photography in New York, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, the Pompidou Centre, and the Museum of Decorative Arts and the National Gallery in Prague. In recognition of his artistic contributions, he was appointed Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication in 2012.
Melissa Harris is editor-at-large of Aperture Foundation (after serving as editor-in-chief of Aperture magazine for over ten years, when it won many awards including: Pictures of the Year, “First Place: Best Use of Photography – Magazine” 1999; the National Magazine Award for “General Excellence” 2004; FOLIO gold “Eddie” award, 2005 and “2007 and 2010 LUCIE Award, Photography Magazine of the Year.”). In 2013, she left her position on the magazine, and reconceived her role at Aperture where she is now part-time, in order to fulfill two large writing commitments– biographies on the photographers Michael “Nick” Nichols (to be published by Aperture), and Josef Koudelka (commissioned by the Magnum Foundation). She has edited over forty books for Aperture, and has curated and co-curated photography exhibits throughout the United States and Europe at venues that include Aperture Gallery in New York; and, in Perpignan, France at Visa Pour l’Image; in Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the ICA; in Houston, Texas at DiverseWorks; in Naples, Italy at Villa Pignatelli; in Venice, Italy at The Peggy Guggenheim Collection; and, in Milan, Italy at the Milano Triennale. Along with teaching at NYU, Harris taught for several years at Columbia University’s graduate School of Journalism, as well as in Yale University’s graduate program in photography, where she still teaches. She served on Community Board 5 in New York City for 4 years, and is a member of the Curatorial Advisory Board for “LOOK3: Festival of the Photograph,” and a Trustee of the John Cage Trust.
