Renowned artist and sculptor Richard Hunt of “Swing Low” fame died in his Chicago home on December 16. He was 88.
Renowned Chicago artist Richard Hunt died peacefully in his home on December 16, according to an obituary posted on his website. He was 88.
One of the most prolific artists of his time, Hunt’s produced some of the country’s most moving sculptures and monuments.
Born September 12, 1935 in Chicago, Hunt became an avid member of the city’s art scene at a young age, joining the South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC) and the Junior School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He later attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) on a scholarship, where he taught himself how to weld, crafting found metal objects into works of art. Two years later, his work was showcased in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), launching his expansive career.
The first time Hunt witnessed Emmett Till in his open casket proved a pivotal moment. “What happened to [Till] could have happened to me,” Hunt said. Compelled by the young boy’s untimely death, Hunt’s artwork heavily inspired by his own civil rights activism. He created sculptures of several historical figures, including Till, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mary McLeod Bethune, and Ida B. Wells.
In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson named Hunt to serve on the National Council of the Arts. Hunt was the first African American visual artist to serve on the council.
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Source: Black Enterprise
