Famed sculptor and Chicago native Richard Hunt dies at age 88
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Richard Hunt, the famed sculptor and Chicago native, died on Saturday at the age of 88, according to an announcement on his professional website.
Hunt's metal sculptures have appeared in museums and as public monuments around the country. He held over 150 solo exhibitions and is represented in more than 100 public museums worldwide.
He was the creator of more than 160 public sculpture commissions in more than 24 states and Washington, D.C.
Hunt grew up in the Woodlawn and Englewood neighborhoods on Chicago's South Side. Visits to the city's public museums grew his interest in African art.
In a statement, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said of Hunt, "We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Richard Hunt, visionary Chicago sculptor and activist. A lifelong Chicagoan, his extraordinary career spanning 70 years leaves an indelible impact on our city and our world."
He would go on to study the artworks of welded metal and attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) on a scholarship. He also served in the U.S. Army.
President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed him as the first African American visual artist to serve on the National Council on on the Arts in 1968.
Hunt sculpted major monuments and sculptures for some of the country's most renowned figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Mary McLeod Bethune, Jesse Owens, Hobart Taylor Jr., and Ida B. Wells.
CBS 2's Asal Rezaei spoke to Hunt last year as he was working on a special piece for the Obama Center.
In a statement, Barack and Michelle Obama called Hunt, "One of the finest artists ever to come out of Chicago."
A celebration of art and life, open to the public, will be held in Chicago in the spring with dates to be announced.