In a diarylike conversation, a 1970s art scene comes to life in ‘Peter Hujar’s Day’

The project began as an idea for a book capturing everyday life through the eyes of the author’s close, creative friends. In the case of photographer Peter Hujar – a keen observer, a prominent figure in the gay rights movement, and working on his own first book – the result was a humorous account of his daily experiences. This included phone conversations with Susan Sontag, the struggles of finding freelance work, interactions with famous people (like a photoshoot of Allen Ginsberg for the New York Times), and random encounters (such as someone he met while waiting for food). The transcript of these conversations, found in 2019 without the original tapes, was eventually published as “Peter Hujar’s Day.”







