Peter Hujar

Peter Hujar, shot in close-up, has his face lit from both sides, which creates the usual symmetrical pattern of shadows down the centre of his face.

1981. USA. Directed by Gary Schneider. With John Erdman, Peter Hujar, Suzanne Joelson, Gary Stephan. 15 min. 16mm.

Immediately after David’s friend and mentor, photographer Peter Hujar, died of AIDS in a New York hospital on November 26, 1987, David took Super 8 images of Peter’s body and photographed Peter's face, hands, and feet. David created Unfinished film (sequence in memory of Peter Hujar), 1987, using these and other images. The unfinished, silent, black and white film includes: images of David's hands leafing through Peter's portfolios; David's AIDS Quilt square for Peter displayed in Central Park; urban and industrial street scapes; and several disparate images made in Peter’s East Village loft. “Everything I made, I made for Peter.”—David Wojnarowicz