Richard Hunt: Freedom in Form Guided Exhibition Walkthrough.
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Are you familiar with Richard Hunt—the legendary Chicago sculptor whose work reshaped public art across the country? If not, this is the perfect chance to get to know him. And if you’re already a fan, you’ll walk away with an even deeper appreciation.

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Join Early Work at the Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA) for a special walkthrough of Freedom in Form with Jon Ott, Hunt’s official biographer, Executive Director of the Richard Hunt Legacy Foundation, and close friend of the late artist.

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Ott will share insights into Hunt’s groundbreaking practice as well as personal stories from their decades-long friendship, offering a rare, intimate perspective on the artist’s life and legacy. This special walkthrough is not one to miss!

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‍About Freedom in Form:
Freedom in Form presents Hunt’s artistic achievement within the national narrative of the struggle for freedom and the delivery of liberty to all people—a heritage that motivated Hunt’s 70 years of making art.

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Through Hunt’s sculptures, maquettes, tools, books, photographs, prints, video interviews, and a chronology of his life, the exhibition will give visitors a glimpse into his creative process and numerous inspirations, from his early days as a student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago to his rise to an international renowned artist.

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Freedom in Form tells the story of an artist affected by the civil rights struggle of his time and was committed to the artistic freedom of expression. For the first time anywhere, visitors will be able to see two works together that serve as bookends to Hunt’s career.

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About Richard Hunt:

Richard Hunt (1935–2023) was a pioneering African American sculptor whose work transformed public art in the United States. Born and raised in Chicago, Hunt studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and became known for his abstract welded-metal sculptures that often evoke organic and human forms. He created over 160 public sculptures across 24 states, making him the most prolific public sculptor in the country.

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Hunt’s work is represented in more than 100 public museums worldwide. The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) holds 21 of his works, including the large-scale sculpture Plant Form (1956), which merges naturalistic shapes with industrial steel. His lithographs, such as Study for Richmond Cycle (1977), served as studies for his outdoor sculptures.

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At the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), his monumental bronze sculpture Swing Low (2016) hangs in the lobby, welcoming visitors with its soaring, lyrical form.

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Throughout his 70-year career, Hunt received numerous accolades, including being the first African American sculptor to have a solo retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in 1971. He was also appointed to the National Council on the Arts by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968.

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Richard Hunt’s legacy endures through his dynamic sculptures that continue to inspire and engage audiences across the United States and beyond.

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6-8 PM