Candy Darling on Her Deathbed , a black and white silver gelatin print by Peter Hujar, is a photo of performer and actress Candy Darling, one of Andy Warhol’s famed “superstars.” The image is an intimate portrayal of the performer in the weeks before her death, reclining in a hospital bed surrounded by flowers from friends and admirers. Candy Darling was a transgendered woman (male to female) who acted in several of Andy Warhol’s avant-garde films and was a member of his inner posse of transsexuals, homosexuals, artists, and musicians. Just weeks after this portrait was taken Darling died of leukemia, a condition she developed after taking experimental female hormones for years.

This photo has become synonymous in my mind with the summer of 2008, the summer between my graduation from high school and the start of college. Summer 2008 was a kind of turning point in my life, a time when I had no responsibilities and there were seemingly no consequences to any action. I was in love with my carefree life, my rebellious gang of friends, and doing what I wanted when I wanted.

It was during this summer I got really into Warhol and his world; watching his films, listening to the Velvet Underground and Bob Dylan, and reading biographies about Warhol and his Superstars. When I came across this photograph of Candy Darling I was struck not only by the beauty of its composition but also by the symbolism it held. To me, Candy Darling represented a reckless youth, taken by her love of life, glamour, and the pursuit of happiness. Candy Darling and this photo became iconic to me. She was the tragic heroine, dying for her cause, never apologizing for anything. The photo is still one of my favorites and I’ve come to appreciate it even more after taking photography classes.