The chaos and passion of Peter Hujar and Paul Thek

Olivia Laing | The Observer | 29th April 2026

Hujar is becoming a mainstream figure in photography. His images portrayed New York’s downtown demi-monde in the decades before AIDS as well as his relationship with artist Paul Thek. Thek cared little for posterity while Hujar was the opposite and is thus more revealed in a new joint biography. Besides his technical prowess, the magic in Hujar’s images came from an “intense, soulful connection” with his subjects, in contrast to the “chilliness” of Diane Arbus. Says one writer, a “beautiful biography”.