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Peter Hujar

American, 1934-1987

Peter Hujar demonstrated the same fearlessness in his photography as he did in life. He documented his bohemian lifestyle in New York City in black and white portraits that captured his outsider circle of friends and lovers. Like Robert Mapplethorpe, Nan Goldin and others, Hujar’s work emerged as a particularly crucial vehicle for increasing lesbian and gay visibility. His photography was integral to the fight for LGBTQ rights during the 1960s but he didn't earn wider societal recognition until after his passing.

Hujar was born in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1934. Due to a difficult home life, he was navigating the streets of New York City on his own by the time he was 16 years old. Pursuing photography from a young age, Hujar attended the New York High School of Art and Design in 1953. At the same time, he apprenticed in commercial photography studios. By 1964, he was working as a chief assistant for photographer Harold Krieger.

At his own considerable financial expense, Hujar left the world of commercial photography in 1967 and decided to use his talents to support the burgeoning LGBTQ rights movement. He was present at the Stonewall riots in 1969, and his iconic photo Come out! was featured in a 1970 poster for the Gay Liberation Front. Hujar also took intimate photos of counterculture figures in Manhattan throughout the 1970s, from partying drag queens to queer intellectuals. Some of his most famous images were of his friend and lover David Wojnarowicz.

In the early 1980s, Hujar stepped into a mentor role to up-and-coming artists like Gary Schneider, Nan Goldin and Kiki Smith. While he felt that his own work was underappreciated, he was happy to champion the work of the next generation.

Hujar passed away from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1987 in New York City. His work was posthumously celebrated, and his first retrospective was held in 1994 at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam.

Hujar's photographs have since been exhibited all over the United States and Europe. In 2020, Pace Gallery held an online exhibit called “Peter Hujar: Cruising Utopia,” which featured a selection of both his famous and lesser-known works.

Find original Peter Hujar photography on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Peter Hujar
Peter Hujar, "Diane B. in Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Monkey Dress", 1987
Peter Hujar, "Diane B. in Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Monkey Dress", 1987

Peter Hujar, "Diane B. in Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Monkey Dress", 1987

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Peter Hujar (1934-1987), original bromoil silver print titled "Diane B. in Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Monkey Dress", dated 1984, printed in 1987. Signed and...

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Peter Hujar furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Peter Hujar furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of paper and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Peter Hujar furniture, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by André Gisson, Lynn Curlee, and Frederic Remington. Prices for Peter Hujar furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $16,833 and can go as high as $16,833, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $16,833.