Stephen Koch, Champion of Photographer Peter Hujar, Dies at 84

The writer and critic spent decades promoting the work of the overlooked artist who died of AIDS in 1987.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 9:19pm

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Stephen Koch, a writer and critic who tirelessly championed the works of the overlooked photographer Peter Hujar, helping to establish him as one of the great American photographers of the late 20th century, died on February 24 at his home in Manhattan. He was 84. Mr. Koch became the executor of Hujar's artistic estate after the photographer's death from AIDS in 1987 and spent decades promoting his work, which had been largely unknown during his lifetime.

Why it matters

This story highlights the important role that advocates and champions can play in bringing recognition to underappreciated artists. Hujar's soulful black-and-white photographs of New York's downtown gay scene in the 1970s and 1980s are now celebrated, in large part due to the tireless efforts of his friend and champion, Stephen Koch.

The details

After Hujar's death, Koch began a long mission to 'usher his art into posthumous fame,' as he put it. He relentlessly badgered galleries, dealers and museums to showcase Hujar's work, which had previously been shown only infrequently. Koch's efforts paid off, with Hujar's photographs eventually selling for as much as $250,000 at auction and being hailed by critics as the work of 'one of the major American photographers of the late 20th century.'

  • Peter Hujar died from AIDS in 1987 at the age of 53.
  • In 1994, retrospectives of Hujar's work were mounted in Amsterdam and Winterthur, Switzerland.
  • In 2018, Holland Cotter of The New York Times declared that Hujar was 'one of the major American photographers of the late 20th century.'

The players

Stephen Koch

A writer and critic who tirelessly championed the work of photographer Peter Hujar, helping to establish him as one of the great American photographers of the late 20th century.

Peter Hujar

A photographer who chronicled New York's downtown gay scene in the 1970s and 1980s. His soulful black-and-white photographs were largely unknown during his lifetime but have since been celebrated as the work of 'one of the major American photographers of the late 20th century.'

Susan Sontag

A writer who wrote the introduction to Hujar's first book in 1976 and introduced him to Stephen Koch.

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What they’re saying

“I think a big part of Peter's posthumous success is due to how unrestrictive Stephen was about how writers and critics and historians looked at and accessed the photographs. He never imposed his own view; he courted and enjoyed different perspectives. In my experience, that's pretty rare for an estate.”

— Andrew Durbin, Author of 'The Wonderful World That Almost Was'

“Peter's star was finally on the rise.”

— Stephen Koch

What’s next

The Peter Hujar Archive, the group dedicated to promoting the photographer's work that Koch directed, is expected to continue its efforts to further elevate Hujar's legacy and ensure his photographs reach an even wider audience.

The takeaway

This story underscores the profound impact that passionate advocates can have in bringing recognition to overlooked artists. Through his tireless efforts over decades, Stephen Koch helped transform Peter Hujar from an obscure photographer into a celebrated master of 20th century American photography, demonstrating the power of dedication and vision to reshape artistic legacies.