Andrew Durbin’s ‘The Wonderful World that Almost Was’ Revives the Overlooked Lives of Paul Thek and Peter Hujar

Andrew Durbin’s new double biography, The Wonderful World that Almost Was, brings back to life the intertwined careers and love of painter‑sculptor Paul Thek and photographer Peter Hujar, two once‑celebrated figures of New York’s 1960s‑70s art scene.

Key Developments

Chronology spans 1954 (their early years as soul‑searching twentysomethings) to 1975 (a decade before both died of AIDS).
Durbin interweaves personal letters, notebooks, and archival photographs to reconstruct the night in 1960 when Thek and Hujar first met.
Thek’s “meat pieces” and beeswax body replicas, which shocked the mid‑1960s art world, are detailed alongside Hujar’s iconic images such as Orgasmic Man (1969).
The book emphasizes their open, unapologetic gay relationship, contrasting it with the era’s more hidden queer lives.
Published by Granta at £25, the volume arrives alongside a recent photo‑letter collection and a biopic starring Ben Whishaw.

Why This Matters

Restores visibility to two artists whose contributions shaped New York’s “cool” aesthetic but were erased from mainstream art histories.
Offers a rare pre‑AIDS narrative that focuses on creative agency rather than disease, enriching LGBTQ cultural memory.
Provides contemporary artists and scholars with concrete examples of how authenticity of vision can outweigh commercial success.
Encourages publishers and museums to revisit other marginalized figures, potentially diversifying exhibition programmes.

Expert Insight

Durbin, himself a novelist, uses a lyrical yet investigative style that fills gaps where letters are missing, allowing readers to feel the immediacy of a 1960s bar encounter. By juxtaposing Thek’s “cuddly and sensual” demeanor with Hujar’s “dignified and remote” presence, the biography illustrates how contrasting personalities can fuel mutual artistic growth. Crucially, the book resists framing the duo solely as tragic AIDS victims; instead, it celebrates their relentless pursuit of artistic integrity—evident when they would “go hungry rather than compromise.” This reframing aligns with a broader scholarly shift toward viewing queer artists as agents of cultural change rather than passive victims.

What Happens Next

Anticipated museum retrospectives of Thek’s sculptural work and Hujar’s photography may be scheduled, leveraging the renewed public interest generated by the book.
Academic courses on queer art history are likely to incorporate Durbin’s research, prompting further scholarship on overlooked mid‑century creators.
The biopic’s modest box‑office performance could spark discussions about the market viability of LGBTQ‑focused art films.
Granta may commission similar double biographies, signaling a publishing trend toward paired artist narratives.