Portraits in Life and Death, 1975

In 1974 and 1975, Peter Hujar was photographing subjects for his series “Portraits in Life and Death”, culled mostly from friends and acquaintances prominent in the New York cultural scene.  Among the portraits chosen for publication were author Susan Sontag, Charles Ludlam, founder and star of the Ridiculous Theatrical Company, director John Waters and his larger-than-life muse Divine, conceptual Pop artist Ray Johnson, and “TC”, an exotic dancer that used to come to Hujar’s East Village apartment for tea.  Hujar had also photographed Andy Warhol for the series in January, 1975 at the Factory at 860 Broadway, but in the end did not use his portrait in the book because he thought Warhol was “too famous.”  Lauren Hutton and Diana Vreeland were also photographed for the series, but their portraits were not included in the book.  Hujar also asked Richard Avedon to participate in the project, but Avedon answered, “Best of luck with your book but I am saving my face for another photographer. Dick.”