Ireland
- Artist: Josef Koudelka
- Date: 1970
- Medium: Photograph, gelatin silver print on paper
- Dimensions: image: 542 × 366 mm
- Museum: Tate Modern
- Collection record: Tate Modern website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is the "Ireland" by Josef Koudelka. This 1970 gelatin silver print is part of his first photography series, Gypsies, which documents the daily lives of Roma communities across post‑war Europe. Using a 25‑mm wide‑angle lens, Koudelka slips into cramped, intimate spaces, capturing moments of resistance and resilience. The Roma called him “Ikonar,” the maker of icons, a title that hints at how he was seen as a chronicler of their struggles. The image is a striking composition of people, their faces framed by the textures of their surroundings, reminding us of the forced integration and persecution many faced. The work was presented by the artist in 2025 and remains a powerful reminder of that turbulent period.
See it in person
Ireland is in the collection of Tate Modern on Bankside, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
