Koudelka donates collection to UPM

Internationally-recognised photographer Josef Koudelka signed a contract with the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague (UPM) on Monday confirming he is donating a collection of 537 of his photographs to the museum. The collection represents the apex of the photographer’s work. The first half of the collection will be delivered in half a year. The second half, forming part of current retrospectives being exhibited abroad, will be delivered later. The collection is estimated as being worth tens of millions of crowns. Part of the deal is a planned retrospective of Mr Koudelka’s work at the UPM in 2018. The collection will formally retain the status of being on loan until the threat of Czech artwork being seized abroad (due to ongoing arbitration cases) subsides.

Author: Jan Velinger