Khashayar J. Khabushani reflects on David Wojnarowicz's influence on his novel and queer identity

Khashayar J. Khabushani details a personal connection with the late artist David Wojnarowicz, whose work profoundly impacted his life and writing. In 2018, Khabushani encountered Wojnarowicz's exhibition at the Whitney Museum in New York City, which ran for nine weeks. This experience, particularly viewing Wojnarowicz's self-portrait and his piece "One day this kid...", helped Khabushani confront shame from his upbringing in a Los Angeles suburb and reclaim his queerness. Wojnarowicz died in 1992 at age thirty-seven from AIDS-related complications, which he attributed to societal neglect. Khabushani's engagement with Wojnarowicz's memoir Close to the Knives (1991) and other works inspired his own writing, leading to the novel I Will Greet the Sun Again (2023), published by Penguin. The novel explores queer identity, family dynamics between Los Angeles and Iran, and Muslim life in post-9/11 America. Khabushani first learned of Wojnarowicz through Olivia Laing's book The Lonely City (2017), which features the artist among others. His reflections include memories of childhood sexual abuse and a suicide attempt, highlighting how Wojnarowicz's defiant artistry provided a transformative language for personal expression.