Richard Hunt, iconic sculptor and one of the most famous artists from Chicago, has died at the age of 88.
An obituary posted on Hunt’s website confirmed that the artist died on Saturday due to natural causes. He is survived by his sister Marian and daughter Cecilia. Over a long career, Richard Hunt was known for his abstract sculptures that often dealt with Black history. Until the end, Hunt was professionally active and had many projects lined up.
Richard Hunt was born in Chicago in 1935. A student of the Art Institute of Chicago, he was inspired by Spanish sculptor Julio González as well as the iconic work “Sculpture of the Twentieth Century”. In the 1950s, he started gaining recognition for his abstract metal sculptures, like Hero Construction (1958). After some years of being a known name in Chicago, Richard Hunt started gaining national recognition in the 70s.
In the 1980s, Hunt steered away from purely abstract works and started creating sculptures with symbolism for Black history and culture. This included Slowly Toward the North (1984) – a massive sculpture highlighting the use of Black slave labor in agriculture and railroad construction. More recently, he created Swing Low in 2016.
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The striking aspect of Richard Hunt was his eagerness to work even at his advanced age. Just last month, White Cube added Hunt to its list of artists. At the time of his death, he was working on two notable projects. One was a memorial for Emmet Till – the infamous victim of white mob lynching in 1955 – and his mother, titled ‘Hero Ascending’. Another work was a sculpture Hunt was making for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Titled ‘Book Bird’, the sculpture would feature a bird taking flight on a huge book and would open in 2025.
