“Experience the Soul-Stirring Art of Peter Hujar: A Photographic Journey in London”

The late photographer from the US, Peter Hujar, famously remarked: “My work emerges from my existence. The individuals I capture are neither peculiar nor oddities to me. I admire those who take risks.” Hujar’s subjects seem to exhibit minimal expression yet possess the courage to present themselves; they show a focus that leans toward the grandiose. This is evident in his 1975 depiction of filmmaker John Waters. Hujar placed him in his studio, reclining on dark, luxurious fabric, a nearly solid black form from which his face, chest, and arms emerge.

Born in 1934 in Trenton, New Jersey, Hujar later relocated to New York City during his childhood. Similar to other documentarians of the city, including Diane Arbus and Robert Mapplethorpe, Hujar drew inspiration from the square, monochrome photography of Richard Avedon, and later secured a prestigious position in a masterclass at Avedon’s studio in 1967.

The subjects in Hujar’s work mirror the psychologically intricate portraits by Julia Margaret Cameron, displaying a confident self-awareness and deep intimacy. Some were already well-known—Waters, William Burroughs, and Fran Lebowitz—or on the verge of becoming so. He documented successive waves of downtown bohemians, but his artistry transcended mere documentation of queer existence and sensibility in New York.

Peter Hujar: Eyes Open in the Dark at Raven Row in London illustrates the broad scope of Hujar’s body of work, extending beyond the bustling New York downtown landscape. Its goal, as co-curator John Douglas Millar describes, is to reinterpret the artwork, allowing us to perceive the tranquil authority of the images not only in the portraits but across Hujar’s entire photographic oeuvre.

The exhibition includes portraits of architecture in Manhattan reminiscent of Eugène Atget and demonstrates a meticulous focus on seascapes, flora, and animal portraits. In the late 1970s, Hujar made frequent trips to rural Orange County, NY, where friends owned a farm, and where a pair of cows appear in one of Hujar’s 1978 photographs, exuding a certain stately presence. Hujar experienced farm life during his early years and fostered a close connection with livestock.

In 1980, Hujar met David Wojnarowicz; they had a brief romantic relationship and collaborated on several endeavors. Hujar captured images of Wojnarowicz’s mural art and graffiti at the deserted Pier 34, a gay cruising site. In 1987, Hujar received a diagnosis of pneumonia related to AIDS, and Wojnarowicz documented his final moments in striking detail.

In contrast to last year’s praised Venice exhibition featuring visuals from Hujar’s 1976 publication Portraits in Life and Death, Raven Row will concentrate on the subsequent phases of his career. The gallery’s director, Alex Sainsbury, regards the exhibition as a unique opportunity to shed light on the work’s lesser-known aspects, based on the deep understanding and technical proficiency of co-curator Gary Schneider, who connected with Hujar in 1977 and set up a photography lab with the artist John Erdman. Schneider produces prints of Hujar’s work, and thus the intricacy and depth of the visuals will be highlighted throughout the exhibition. This was Hujar’s hallmark—capturing a blend of harshness and sensitivity in all his subjects.

• Peter Hujar: Eyes Open in the Dark, Raven Row, London, 30 January-6 April