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Freedom in Form: Richard Hunt | AVAILABLE NOW

Richard Hunt (1935–2023) was a paragon artist of the twentieth century. He was recognized as a singular talent as a young artist, was well-regarded by his contemporaries, and became unparalleled in public art commissions across the United States. Freedom in Form: Richard Hunt presents Hunt’s artistic achievement within the national narrative of the struggle for freedom and the halting delivery of liberty to all people—a history and heritage that motivated Hunt’s seventy years of making art in America. Filled with stunning images and insightful essays, this book takes readers inside the “Freedom in Form: Richard Hunt” exhibition created by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Ill. The catalogue features a director’s foreword by Christina Shutt; a foreword by Rev. Michael J. Garanzini, SJ, past president of Loyola University Chicago; and new essays by curator Ross Stanton Jordan, Hunt’s biographer, Jon Ott, and historian Timothy J. Gilfoyle, PhD. The essays tell his story and unquestioned dedication to his art, addressing the connections to the theme of freedom and figures in Black history. The catalogue documents his professional journey, provides a listing of his public works in Illinois, and includes special features on Hunt’s studio, tools and personal library. The publication also includes photographs of three dozen groundbreaking sculptures by Hunt and almost as many images of the legendary artist.