A snapshot of the bohemian downtown: Peter Hujar’s early photography on show in New York
‘Peter Hujar: Rialto’ is currently being exhibited at The Ukrainian Museum, New York

‘Peter Hujar lived in the Ukrainian neighbourhood in New York, yet few Ukrainian-Americans knew about him or his work,’ says Peter Doroshenko, director of The Ukrainian Museum in New York, where there is currently an exhibition covering the first 15 years of the artist’s career. ‘Focusing on his early work, it was important to show Hujar's three important series of photographs, because he used these groups of images as a foundation for his later portraiture and other varied work. There have been important Peter Hujar exhibitions over the past thirty years, but never focusing on his formative years.’
Peter Hujar, Young Self-Portrait (IV), 1958
Three bodies of work created in the 1950s and 1960s are the focus of Peter Hujar: Rialto, with many photographs from Southbury (1957), Florence (1958), and the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo (1963) previously unseen. Also on view are Hujar’s black and white portraits of the characters who frequented bohemian downtown New York, including Iggy Pop and Janis Joplin.
Born to an immigrant family in New York, Hujar was raised by his Ukrainian grandmother, who spoke only the Ukrainian language to him for the first five years of his life. His later struggles with an unstable upbring led him to seek refuge in his photography, which he married with his immersion in the subcultures of New York where he felt most at home.
Peter Hujar, Paul Thek on Zebra, 1965
‘I believe that Hujar’s formal Ukrainian upbringing created various systems and control for his photographic work during his lifetime,’ Doroshenko adds. ‘Ukrainians are very critical and hard on themselves. Hujar had the same critical DNA with his use of the camera and later darkroom production. Peter Hujar lived and worked in one of the most active and creative epicentres of New York, yet he was ahead of his time in many ways.’
'Peter Hujar: Rialto’ is at The Ukrainian Museum, New York until 1 September 2024. See more New York exhibitions on now.
Peter Hujar, Palermo Catacombs #1, 1963
Peter Hujar, Girl on Swing, Southbury, 1957
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Hannah Silver is the Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*. Since joining in 2019, she has overseen offbeat art trends and conducted in-depth profiles, as well as writing and commissioning extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury. She enjoys travelling, visiting artists' studios and viewing exhibitions around the world, and has interviewed artists and designers including Maggi Hambling, William Kentridge, Jonathan Anderson, Chantal Joffe, Lubaina Himid, Tilda Swinton and Mickalene Thomas.
-
Alexandre de Betak on getting lost to find himself in London
As the world-renowned artistic director opens his first personal studio in London during Frieze Week, Alexandre de Betak reflects on leaving the fashion runway behind to explore light, space and creative freedom
-
Step inside Faye Toogood's intimate cabinet of curiosities at PAD London
For PAD London 2025, (until 19 October) Faye Toogood presents The Magpie’s Nest with Friedman Benda
-
Vivo launches OriginOS 6, for a smooth and intelligent mobile experience
Superior AI, next-level graphics and a seamless user experience make this Vivo’s most sophisticated operating system yet