At Home: A Photographic Masterclass by Peter Hujar
Interiors + Fashion + Family
Peter Hujar’s photography has been on my mind a lot lately, but not just mine—he’s definitely in the air, with two shows on in NYC at the moment, a movie about him that came out last year (Peter Hujar’s Day), and lots of reposts of his images on Instagram. Even The Atlantic noticed his recent visibility.
Of the New York shows, so far I have made it to Ortuzar’s “Peter Hujar: The Gracie Mansion Show,” which recreates the 1986 “Peter Hujar: Recent Photographs” exhibition held at the East Village gallery Gracie Mansion. It was Hujar’s eighth and final solo show, before his death from AIDS-related complications in November 1987. The show features seventy photographs arranged in a long, two-row grid in the exact layout Hujar decided: “Portraits of friends and fellow artists appeared alongside nudes, landscapes, animals, and images of abandoned buildings, with genres and subjects freely intermingled. In honor of its fortieth anniversary, Ortuzar’s exhibition presents a version of the original 1986 layout, offering contemporary viewers a chance to experience Hujar’s work as he conceived it, with its non-hierarchical sequencing encouraging open-ended associations and offering rare insight into how he understood the relationships between his images.”
“Peter Hujar: The Gracie Mansion Show” ends May 30th, so get there today or tomorrow!
Next on my list is “Hujar:Contact” at the Morgan Library & Museum, which features more than 110 contact sheets and 20 enlargements from across his career—charting his ascent from studio assistant to freelance magazine photographer to artist. “Hujar:Contact” is on until October 25, 2026; the Morgan also has a very interesting looking exhibition on Tarot opening in late June, so its definitely worth a visit to see both this summer!
Among the magazines he freelanced for was GQ. For the March, April, and June 1971 issues, Hujar shot three fashion editorials and two musician portraits (Iggy Pop and Isaac Hayes). I do not know why his freelancing career with them was quite so short; taken from the vantage point of over half a century later, it feels like a travesty that he didn’t do more men’s fashion work for GQ. Last week, on Instagram, I shared one of the editorials: beach fashions from June 1971.
Hujar’s first editorial for GQ (for March 1971) features eight men posing with their parents in what appears to be their family homes. Rather Arbusian in their form and technique, the portraits tell so much through the posing, facial expressions, and carefully organized tchotchkes. As with the Hujar photos in the editorial above, it is particularly interesting to see his use of colour as we so often think of him as solely a black-and-white photographer.
I haven’t seen this series shared online anywhere, so please enjoy!
Mr. and Mrs. William F. Wilson and their son, William, 22. William is wearing a blue campaign-style suit in a twill-effect double-knit (Leisure Ltd., about $70). The unpadded jacket has snap-closure front and flapped patch pockets with metal rings. Skinny ribbed, placket-front pullover by Europe Craft.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Boehm and their son, Arthur, 25. Arthur is wearing a patchwork suede suit by Chrome-Cuir for Rafael Fashions (about $200). Top is patchwork-trimmed at pockets, cuffs and waist. Pants have trim at waist, back pockets and leg panels. Skinny ribbed top by Robert Bruce.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Boxer and their son, Michael, 25. Michael is wearing a clay-colored knitted shirt-suit (by Tiger of Sweden, about $120), with diagonal twill-patterned panels. The top is belted, with snap-closure flapped pockets. The pants have an extension waistband and slightly flared leg.
Mr. and Mrs. Duke Marks and their son, Peter, 36. Peter is wearing a belted beige suede safari-style shirt-suit by Bidermann of Paris (about $200). The top features an all-around, stitched-on belt and has cream-colored stitching on its four flapped patch pockets. Wooden neckband by Valerie.
Mr. and Mrs. John H. Jacoby and their son, Eric, 24. Eric is wearing a polyester knit shirt-suit in a gold, mustard, black and beige geometric pattern. The top has a stitched-down chest yoke, two inverted-pleat flapped button-through pockets, and a half-belt in back (Hardy Amies U.S.A., about $80).
Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Shanman and their son, Mack Schlefer. Mack, 25, is wearing a wool knicker-suit in an all-over pattern of gold, beige and black (B. Teller of Vienna, about $95). Jacket has buttoned flap patch pockets and extension-tab waistband. Shirt by Unk Knits. Diamond-pattern socks by Esquire.
Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Henry and their son, Richard, 28. Richard is wearing a black double-knit safari-style suit with an all-around belt and pleated flapped pockets. The pants have an extension-tab waistband and flared leg (Tiger of Sweden, about $120). Skinny ribbed speckled plum turtleneck by Giovannelli.
Mr. and Mrs. John Interlandi and their son, John, 22. John is wearing a denim-look polyester and cotton shirt-suit by Harry Lans for Rafael Fashions (about $90). The safari-style top has metal buttons, stitched-down all-around belt and four scalloped flap pockets. Metal belt by Vacher for Rafael Fashions.
There was a great exhibition of his work in London last winter. Such a talent.