{"article":{"id":3433,"title":"CGN Art World Recap: 9/9/24","excerpt":"","body":"<html><head></head><body><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092759/mcohenu3oshmwupgeyys.jpg\" copy.jpg=\"\"><figcaption>Mayor Brandon Johnson appointed Clineé Hedspeth as Chicago’s Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events in March.City of Chicago YouTube</figcaption></figure><p class=\"lead\">&nbsp;</p><p class=\"lead\"><a href=\"https://www.wbez.org/culture-the-arts/2024/09/09/chicago-cultural-affairs-special-events-dcase-clinee-hedspeth-brandon-johnson\">Turnover, hiring freeze roil Chicago’s cultural affairs department under new commissioner Clinée Hedspeth</a></p><p>At least 13 staff members, including some top deputies, have departed Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) since March, according to public records and interviews. That means about 18% of the department has turned over in the six months since Mayor Brandon Johnson <a href=\"https://www.wbez.org/culture-the-arts/2024/03/18/chicago-names-clinee-hedspeth-cultural-commissioner\">appointed a new commissioner</a>.</p><p>A former DCASE employee who did not want to be named told WBEZ the internal culture of the department had become “discouraging” and “disconnected” under Hedspeth.</p><p>WBEZ made several requests to speak with Hedspeth. A DCASE spokesperson said she was not available for an interview and did not reply to emailed questions.</p><p>Via WBEZ</p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092759/k1cwo7pxzhvgkz2balst.jpg\"></figure><p class=\"lead\">&nbsp;</p><p class=\"lead\">Obama Foundation Announces Julie Mehretu Work at Obama Presidential Center</p><p>The Obama Foundation announced the installation of an 83 ft. x 25 ft. commissioned work of art by world-renowned Ethiopian-American artist Julie Mehretu. The piece, titled “Uprising of the Sun,” is now featured on the north facade of the future Obama Presidential Center’s Museum Building.<br><br>Inspired by President Obama’s remarks at the 50th anniversary of the marches from Selma to Montgomery, Mehretu’s “Uprising of the Sun“ is a vibrant series of 35 abstract, painted glass panels. The piece reflects on the historical context of President Obama’s legacy, and will inspire viewers and draw visitors to the Center on the South Side of Chicago.&nbsp;</p><p><a href=\"https://click.email.obama.org/?qs=7dddb8cc93b500a1bef5358bf4c0a9c4dd53fd172c62cedbbec66508a9fa7fd8b0825c8505f544c22fa1d2b74b2e362868d243ad37088f6e\">Watch this video to learn more about Mehretu and Obama’s vision for the piece on the Presidential Center campus.</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092761/mnydzfx8uxipntliccdt.jpg\"></figure><p class=\"lead\">SoNa Call for Artists&nbsp;</p><p><i>SoNa Chicago invites artists to submit applications for a Group Show - Submissions Due Sept 20</i></p><p>Artists of all backgrounds and mediums are invited to participate in this call for art. Artists should reside within the Chicagoland area. The theme is open to interpretation by each artist.&nbsp; New or previously created works are welcome.</p><p>The exhibit will open on Friday, November 8, 2024 and run through Saturday, January 11, 2025.&nbsp; An opening reception will be held Friday, Nov. 8, from 6:00 - 9:00 PM.</p><p><strong>Submissions Due: Sept 20, 2024.&nbsp;</strong></p><p><a href=\"https://sonachicagoart.com/news-events\">Details here.</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092762/srw02rebwppslfcf2xfq.jpg\"></figure><p class=\"lead\">&nbsp;</p><p class=\"lead\">Freeman's | Hindman Announces For the Love of Barnes: The Collection of Dr. Richard J. Wattenmaker</p><p>Freeman's | Hindman announced the upcoming auction of the Collection of Dr. Richard J. Wattenmaker on September 22, 2024.</p><p>This exceptional single-owner sale highlights Wattenmaker’s eclectic taste and profound knowledge in American and European Fine Art, Furniture, and Decorative Arts.</p><p>A revered scholar and curator, Wattenmaker's legacy includes roles at prestigious institutions such as the Smithsonian's Archives of American Art and the Barnes Foundation. His collection reflects a lifetime dedicated to art, featuring works by artists like William Glackens and Jean Hugo, along with remarkable examples of redware, stoneware, and ironwork.</p><p><a href=\"https://hindmanauctions.com/auctions/2083-For-the-Love-of-Barnes-The-Collection-of-Dr-Richard-J-Wattenmaker?tab=lots&amp;fbclid=IwY2xjawFMDm5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHRlvLQGSEuIPmWt4y_nYpN4sseb2IwlU_jMIPBAQXimZedvgn2054EEHPQ_aem_nYv7fD_9PHBtQRsHCn3iGg\">Details</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p></body></html>","published_at":"2024-09-09 12:00:00","state":"published","slug":"cgn-art-world-recap-9-9-24","type":"NewsPost","meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2024-09-09 17:28:26","updated_at":"2024-09-09 21:45:58","category_id":1,"highlighted":true,"searchable":"'00':373B,375B '11':360B '13':45B '18':75B '20':307B,380B '2024':354B,381B,418B '2025':361B '22':417B '25':169B '35':236B '50th':216B '6':372B '8':353B,370B '83':166B '9':374B '9/9/24':5A 'abstract':237B 'accord':66B 'affair':20B,36B,59B 'along':487B 'american':181B,434B,463B 'anniversari':217B 'announc':150B,161B,387B,403B 'applic':299B 'appoint':9B,90B 'archiv':461B 'area':329B 'art':2A,174B,322B,438B,442B,464B,476B 'artist':182B,292B,296B,308B,323B,338B,480B 'auction':406B 'avail':135B 'background':311B 'barn':392B,467B 'becom':114B 'brandon':7B,88B 'build':207B 'call':290B,320B 'campus':288B 'center':157B,204B,262B,287B 'cgn':1A 'chicago':13B,15B,27B,33B,54B,268B,294B 'chicagoland':328B 'clineé':10B 'cliné':41B 'collect':394B,409B,470B 'commiss':171B 'commission':40B,93B 'context':247B 'creat':342B 'cultur':19B,35B,58B,109B 'curat':447B 'dcase':63B,96B,129B 'decor':441B 'dedic':474B 'depart':17B,37B,53B,56B,78B,112B 'deputi':51B 'detail':382B,496B 'disconnect':117B 'discourag':115B 'dr':396B,411B 'draw':258B 'due':305B,378B 'eclect':428B 'email':144B 'employe':97B 'ethiopian':180B 'ethiopian-american':179B 'european':436B 'event':23B,62B 'exampl':490B 'except':420B 'exhibit':347B 'facad':198B 'featur':194B,477B 'fine':437B 'former':95B 'foundat':149B,160B,468B 'freeman':384B,400B 'freez':31B 'friday':351B,368B 'ft':167B,170B 'furnitur':439B 'futur':201B 'glacken':483B 'glass':239B 'group':302B 'hedspeth':11B,42B,119B,127B 'held':367B 'highlight':425B 'hindman':386B,402B 'hire':30B 'histor':246B 'hugo':486B 'includ':48B,451B 'inspir':208B,255B 'instal':163B 'institut':455B 'intern':108B 'interpret':335B 'interview':71B,138B 'invit':295B,315B 'ironwork':495B 'j':398B,413B 'januari':359B 'jean':485B 'johnson':8B,89B 'juli':151B,183B 'knowledg':432B 'learn':273B 'least':44B 'legaci':252B,450B 'lifetim':473B 'like':481B 'love':390B 'made':121B 'march':65B,220B 'march.city':25B 'mayor':6B,87B 'mean':73B 'medium':313B 'mehretu':152B,184B,225B,276B 'member':47B 'montgomeri':224B 'month':85B 'museum':206B 'name':104B 'new':39B,92B,339B 'north':197B 'nov':369B 'novemb':352B 'obama':148B,155B,159B,202B,211B,250B,278B 'open':333B,349B,363B 'owner':423B 'paint':238B 'panel':240B 'particip':317B 'piec':186B,242B,283B 'pm':376B 'presid':210B,249B 'presidenti':156B,203B,286B 'prestigi':454B 'previous':341B 'profound':431B 'public':68B 'question':145B 'recap':4A 'recept':364B 'record':69B 'redwar':492B 'reflect':243B,471B 'remark':213B,489B 'renown':178B 'repli':142B 'request':123B 'resid':325B 'rever':444B 'richard':397B,412B 'roil':32B 'role':452B 'run':356B 'said':131B 'sale':424B 'saturday':358B 'scholar':445B 'selma':222B 'sept':306B,379B 'septemb':416B 'seri':234B 'sever':122B 'show':303B 'side':266B 'sinc':64B,86B 'singl':422B 'single-own':421B 'six':84B 'smithsonian':459B 'sona':289B,293B 'south':265B 'speak':125B 'special':22B,61B 'spokesperson':130B 'staff':46B 'stonewar':493B 'submiss':304B,377B 'submit':298B 'sun':191B,230B 'tast':429B 'theme':331B 'titl':187B 'told':105B 'top':50B 'turn':80B 'turnov':29B 'upcom':405B 'upris':188B,227B 'via':146B 'vibrant':233B 'video':271B 'viewer':256B 'vision':280B 'visitor':259B 'want':101B 'watch':269B 'wattenmak':399B,414B,426B,448B 'wbez':106B,120B,147B 'welcom':345B 'william':482B 'within':326B 'work':153B,172B,343B,478B 'world':3A,177B 'world-renown':176B 'x':168B 'youtub':28B","thumbnail":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1731090390/yr26gy9rvl57ipzkrqrx.jpg","editor_pick":false,"category_name":"Announcements"},"related":[{"id":14456,"title":"Illinois Holocaust Museum to Reopen November 11 Following Renovation","excerpt":"","body":"<p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1792084737/qrikvx76nvvt5agq24rq.jpg\"></p><p><br></p><p>By CGN STAFF</p><p><br></p><p>Illinois Holocaust Museum &amp; Education Center will reopen its Skokie location on November 11, 2026, following a renovation that expands visitor spaces, updates its core Holocaust exhibition and adds a new reflection gallery. The reopening is timed to coincide with Veterans Day. Active military personnel, veterans and their families will receive free admission that day.</p><p><br></p><p>The project includes a redesigned Lillian &amp; Larry Goodman Auditorium and Gallery, an enlarged lobby in the Shapiro Family Foundation Welcome Center, and a refreshed Resilience Hall with an expanded stage for presentations and public programs.</p><p><br></p><p>Updates to the Zev &amp; Shifra Karkomi Holocaust Exhibition include additional material on the roots of antisemitism, the story of Chicago resident Leo Edelman, and the experiences of other groups targeted by the Nazis. A new reflection gallery, accessible from the exhibition, offers visitors a quiet space during and after their visit.</p><p><br></p><p>“Every visitor’s experience now begins differently and runs deeper,” said Kelley Szany, the Museum’s senior vice president of education and exhibitions. “The new welcome center sets the tone from the moment people arrive, the enhanced core Holocaust exhibition brings the history and the voices of survivors into sharper focus, and our new auditorium gives us a place to gather, listen, and talk about what it means for our communities today.”</p><p><br></p><p>Existing attractions, including the virtual reality theater, the interactive Survivor Stories Experience holographic theater, the Take A Stand Center and the Voices of Genocide Exhibition, will remain part of the Museum’s offerings.</p><p><br></p><p>Following the reopening,&nbsp;<em>Blacklist: The Hollywood Red Scare</em>&nbsp;will open November 15 in the special exhibition gallery. Created by and on loan from Jewish Museum Milwaukee, the exhibition examines the intersections of politics, antisemitism, freedom of speech and national security during the Red Scare of the 1940s and 1950s. It will remain on view through March 2027.</p><p><br></p><p>The Museum’s satellite location in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, <span style=\"color: rgb(13, 13, 13);\">Experience360, </span>will remain open through December 31, 2026. The downtown space opened during the Skokie renovation to provide continued access to the Museum’s immersive exhibitions.</p><p><br></p><p>For information and ticket reservations, visit&nbsp;<a href=\"https://www.ilholocaustmuseum.org/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">ilholocaustmuseum.org</a>.</p><p><br></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Image: Museum exterior. Photo by David Seide/Definedspace.com</span></p>","published_at":"2026-10-15 09:32:55.31","state":"published","slug":"illinois-holocaust-museum-to-reopen-november-11-following-renovation","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-10-15 17:18:57.712","updated_at":"2026-10-15 17:18:57.712","category_id":1,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'11':7A,25B '15':269B '1940s':304B '1950s':306B '2026':26B,333B '2027':314B '31':332B 'access':139B,345B 'activ':54B 'add':40B 'addit':111B 'admiss':64B 'antisemit':117B,291B 'arriv':187B 'attract':226B 'auditorium':75B,207B 'begin':158B 'blacklist':261B 'bring':193B 'center':17B,87B,179B,243B 'cgn':11B 'chicago':121B,321B 'coincid':50B 'communiti':223B 'continu':344B 'core':36B,190B 'creat':275B 'david':364B 'day':53B,66B 'decemb':331B 'deeper':162B 'differ':159B 'downtown':335B 'edelman':124B 'educ':16B,173B 'enhanc':189B 'enlarg':79B 'everi':153B 'examin':286B 'exhibit':38B,109B,142B,175B,192B,249B,273B,285B,351B 'exist':225B 'expand':31B,95B 'experi':127B,156B,236B 'experience360':326B 'exterior':361B 'famili':60B,84B 'focus':203B 'follow':8A,27B,258B 'foundat':85B 'free':63B 'freedom':292B 'galleri':44B,77B,138B,274B 'gather':213B 'genocid':248B 'give':208B 'goodman':74B 'group':130B 'hall':92B 'histori':195B 'hollywood':263B 'holocaust':2A,14B,37B,108B,191B 'holograph':237B 'ilholocaustmuseum.org':358B 'illinoi':1A,13B 'imag':359B 'immers':350B 'includ':69B,110B,227B 'inform':353B 'interact':233B 'intersect':288B 'jewish':281B 'karkomi':107B 'kelley':164B 'larri':73B 'leo':123B 'lillian':72B 'listen':214B 'loan':279B 'lobbi':80B 'locat':22B,319B 'march':313B 'materi':112B 'mean':220B 'militari':55B 'milwauke':283B 'moment':185B 'museum':3A,15B,167B,255B,282B,316B,348B,360B 'nation':296B 'nazi':134B 'neighborhood':325B 'new':42B,136B,177B,206B 'north':324B 'novemb':6A,24B,268B 'offer':143B,257B 'open':267B,329B,337B 'part':252B 'peopl':186B 'personnel':56B 'photo':362B 'place':211B 'polit':290B 'present':98B 'presid':171B 'program':101B 'project':68B 'provid':343B 'public':100B 'quiet':146B 'realiti':230B 'receiv':62B 'red':264B,300B 'redesign':71B 'reflect':43B,137B 'refresh':90B 'remain':251B,309B,328B 'renov':9A,29B,341B 'reopen':5A,19B,46B,260B 'reserv':356B 'resid':122B 'resili':91B 'river':323B 'root':115B 'run':161B 'said':163B 'satellit':318B 'scare':265B,301B 'secur':297B 'seide/definedspace.com':365B 'senior':169B 'set':180B 'shapiro':83B 'sharper':202B 'shifra':106B 'skoki':21B,340B 'space':33B,147B,336B 'special':272B 'speech':294B 'staff':12B 'stage':96B 'stand':242B 'stori':119B,235B 'survivor':200B,234B 'szani':165B 'take':240B 'talk':216B 'target':131B 'theater':231B,238B 'ticket':355B 'time':48B 'today':224B 'tone':182B 'updat':34B,102B 'us':209B 'veteran':52B,57B 'vice':170B 'view':311B 'virtual':229B 'visit':152B,357B 'visitor':32B,144B,154B 'voic':198B,246B 'welcom':86B,178B 'zev':105B","thumbnail":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1792084731/ziynfdisvbupniolikjr.jpg","editor_pick":true},{"id":14357,"title":"As One New Fair Opens another Familiar Name Announces Its Return in 2027","excerpt":null,"body":"<p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791471661/j25vt7cxeohehapkz9n1.jpg\"></p><p><br></p><p>By GINNY VAN ALYEA</p><p><br></p><p>SOFA Chicago, the longtime fair devoted to sculpture, objects, functional art and collectible design, will return to the city October 28–31, 2027, as part of Chicago Art Fair at THE MART, which opened its inaugural edition last night. </p><p><br></p><p>Founded in Chicago in 1994, SOFA became a popular fixture on the city’s fall arts calendar. For much of its history, collectors and visitors gathered at Navy Pier to discover works in glass, ceramics, wood, metal and fiber, alongside sculpture and design. Its focus on materials and craftsmanship gave the fair a distinct identity and cultivated a devoted audience.</p><p><br></p><p>The announcement comes as the inaugural Chicago Art Fair gets underway at THE MART. The new fair opened with a preview on October 7 and continues through October 10, presenting modern and contemporary art. Tim von Gal, CEO and producer of SOFA Chicago and CEO of Intersect Art and Design, was in Chicago this week for the occasion.</p><p>Organizers describe the 2027 collaboration as two distinct but complementary presentations under one roof, with SOFA’s focus on three-dimensional art and design alongside Chicago Art Fair’s broader offerings.</p><p><br></p><p>“Chicago has always been an extraordinary home for SOFA and a city with a deep appreciation for art, craft, architecture and design,” said von Gal in the announcement. “Joining the Chicago Art Fair at THE MART gives us the opportunity to build upon that legacy while creating an exciting new experience for collectors and exhibitors alike.”</p><p>Eric Smith, owner of Chicago Art Fair and CEO of Redwood Art Group, said the addition would broaden the fair’s scope while preserving SOFA’s identity.</p><p><br></p><p>“SOFA has a remarkable legacy and a distinct identity, and its return adds an important new dimension to the fair while reinforcing Chicago’s position as a destination for collectors, galleries and art lovers from around the world,” Smith said.</p><p><br></p><p>For those who remember SOFA as an annual opportunity to encounter ambitious work in craft and design, the return will be welcome news. The participating galleries and programming, still to be announced, will provide a fuller picture of how that legacy will take shape in its new setting.</p><p><br></p><p>SOFA Chicago is produced by Intersect Art and Design, which also organizes annual art and design fairs in Aspen and Palm Springs.</p><p><br></p><p>Additional details about exhibitors, partnerships and tickets are expected in the coming months. </p><p><br></p><p>Visit&nbsp;<a href=\"https://chicagoartfair.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">chicagoartfair.com</a> for updates.</p>","published_at":"2026-10-08 08:42:55.758","state":"published","slug":"as-one-new-fair-opens-another-familiar-name-announces-its-return-in-2027","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-10-08 15:01:02.232","updated_at":"2026-10-08 15:01:02.232","category_id":1,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'10':145B '1994':61B '2027':13A,40B,178B '28':38B '31':39B '7':140B 'add':302B 'addit':278B,400B 'alik':262B 'alongsid':96B,200B 'also':388B 'alway':209B 'alyea':17B 'ambiti':341B 'announc':9A,118B,234B,361B 'annual':337B,390B 'anoth':6A 'appreci':222B 'architectur':226B 'around':325B 'art':28B,45B,72B,124B,150B,164B,197B,202B,224B,238B,268B,274B,322B,384B,391B 'aspen':396B 'audienc':116B 'becam':63B 'broaden':280B 'broader':205B 'build':248B 'calendar':73B 'ceo':154B,161B,271B 'ceram':91B 'chicago':19B,44B,59B,123B,159B,169B,201B,207B,237B,267B,312B,379B 'chicagoartfair.com':414B 'citi':36B,69B,218B 'collabor':179B 'collect':30B 'collector':79B,259B,319B 'come':119B,411B 'complementari':184B 'contemporari':149B 'continu':142B 'craft':225B,344B 'craftsmanship':105B 'creat':253B 'cultiv':113B 'deep':221B 'describ':176B 'design':31B,99B,166B,199B,228B,346B,386B,393B 'destin':317B 'detail':401B 'devot':23B,115B 'dimens':306B 'dimension':196B 'discov':87B 'distinct':110B,182B,297B 'edit':54B 'encount':340B 'eric':263B 'excit':255B 'exhibitor':261B,403B 'expect':408B 'experi':257B 'extraordinari':212B 'fair':4A,22B,46B,108B,125B,133B,203B,239B,269B,282B,309B,394B 'fall':71B 'familiar':7A 'fiber':95B 'fixtur':66B 'focus':101B,192B 'found':57B 'fuller':365B 'function':27B 'gal':153B,231B 'galleri':320B,355B 'gather':82B 'gave':106B 'get':126B 'ginni':15B 'give':243B 'glass':90B 'group':275B 'histori':78B 'home':213B 'ident':111B,289B,298B 'import':304B 'inaugur':53B,122B 'intersect':163B,383B 'join':235B 'last':55B 'legaci':251B,294B,370B 'longtim':21B 'lover':323B 'mart':49B,130B,242B 'materi':103B 'metal':93B 'modern':147B 'month':412B 'much':75B 'name':8A 'navi':84B 'new':3A,132B,256B,305B,376B 'news':352B 'night':56B 'object':26B 'occas':174B 'octob':37B,139B,144B 'offer':206B 'one':2A,187B 'open':5A,51B,134B 'opportun':246B,338B 'organ':175B,389B 'owner':265B 'palm':398B 'part':42B 'particip':354B 'partnership':404B 'pictur':366B 'pier':85B 'popular':65B 'posit':314B 'present':146B,185B 'preserv':286B 'preview':137B 'produc':156B,381B 'program':357B 'provid':363B 'redwood':273B 'reinforc':311B 'remark':293B 'rememb':333B 'return':11A,33B,301B,348B 'roof':188B 'said':229B,276B,329B 'scope':284B 'sculptur':25B,97B 'set':377B 'shape':373B 'smith':264B,328B 'sofa':18B,62B,158B,190B,215B,287B,290B,334B,378B 'spring':399B 'still':358B 'take':372B 'three':195B 'three-dimension':194B 'ticket':406B 'tim':151B 'two':181B 'underway':127B 'updat':416B 'upon':249B 'us':244B 'van':16B 'visit':413B 'visitor':81B 'von':152B,230B 'week':171B 'welcom':351B 'wood':92B 'work':88B,342B 'world':327B 'would':279B","thumbnail":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791471648/qlsatdxqgau2braeekxu.jpg","editor_pick":true},{"id":14324,"title":"Pigment International Dedicates Black Fine Art Month 2026 to Richard Hunt","excerpt":"","body":"<p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791479103/r9oi9u47474rx2synx0p.png\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">The artist Richard Hunt</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>By CGN Staff</p><p><br></p><p>Pigment International has dedicated Black Fine Art Month 2026 to Chicago sculptor Richard Hunt (1935–2023), recognizing his contributions to American art and his lifelong connection to the city.</p><p><br></p><p>As part of the month’s programming, the organization will host&nbsp;<em>Pigmented: Chicago to the World — A Black Fine Art Convening</em>&nbsp;on October 23 at the University of Chicago’s Logan Center for the Arts. Partners include the Richard Hunt Legacy Foundation, Adler University, CAI Designs, Chicago Public Art Group, Chicago Sculpture Exhibit and Diasporal Rhythms.</p><p><br></p><p>Born and raised on Chicago’s South Side, Hunt developed an internationally recognized practice while continuing to live and work in his hometown. His welded metal sculptures brought together abstract forms, references to the natural world and an enduring interest in freedom and social justice.</p><p><br></p><p>Hunt identified attending Emmett Till’s funeral in 1955 as a turning point in his artistic life. Till had lived just two blocks from Hunt’s home. Decades later, Hunt’s public commissions would honor figures including Martin Luther King Jr., Mary McLeod Bethune, Jesse Owens and Ida B. Wells, while also addressing the Middle Passage and the Great Migration.</p><p>In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson appointed Hunt to the National Council on the Arts, where he became its first African American member. In 1971, at age 35, he became the first African American sculptor to receive a retrospective at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. His career encompassed more than 150 solo exhibitions and more than 160 public art installations.</p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791479104/lltcodkx39gd8sbhtus1.png\"></p><p><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Richard Hunt with artist Chris Devins, who recently completed a mural honoring the sculptor in Hyde Park. Photo courtesy of Chris Devins.</em></p><p><br></p><p>Recent projects in Chicago offer new ways to encounter Hunt’s work and history. This fall, the Logan Center opened the Hunt, a café honoring the artist. Created and designed by Little Black Pearl founder and executive director Monica Haslip, the space incorporates two Hunt sculptures, African art, archival materials and photographs by Sandro Miller.</p><p>In Hyde Park, artist Chris Devins and historian Michelle Duster have brought a mural of Hunt to 1515–19 E. 54th Street. The portrait is based on photographs Devins took in Hunt’s studio before the sculptor’s death.</p><p><br></p><p>“Richard Hunt was a giant in the arts world and people need to see what he looked like and be inspired by his legacy,” Devins said.</p><p><br></p><p>Pigment International’s dedication also reflects its own relationship with Hunt. The organization featured him in its magazine in 2020, and he welcomed its Black Fine Art Month programming into his studio in October 2021.</p><p><br></p><p>#</p><p><br></p><p>Two events take place this month:</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Pigment International at SPECTRUM Chicago Art Fair</strong></p><p><br></p><p>October 7–10, 2026.</p><p>Chicago Merchandise Mart, seventh floor, booth #3091.</p><p>Wednesday, October 7, 5–8 pm, with a champagne toast in the booth and an artist meet-and-greet.</p><p>Thursday, October 8, 6-8pm with Diasporal Rhythms</p><p>Featured artists:&nbsp;Jesse Howard, Howard Simmons, Edo, Candace Hunter, Sura DuPart and Max Sansing.</p><p>Additional events are taking place during the fair</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Chicago to the World: A Black Fine Art Month Convening</strong></p><p>Presented by Pigment International as part of Black Fine Art Month, which the organization has dedicated this year to Richard Hunt.</p><p>Friday, October 23, 2026, 11:30 am–5 pm.</p><p>Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th Street, Chicago.</p><p><br></p><p>Details at <a href=\"https://pigmentintl.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">pigmentintl.com</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>","published_at":"2026-10-06 20:00:00","state":"published","slug":"pigment-international-dedicates-black-fine-art-month-2026-to-richard-hunt","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-10-08 17:05:04.799","updated_at":"2026-10-08 17:05:04.799","category_id":1,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'-8':495B '10':462B '11':557B '150':260B '1515':364B '160':266B '19':365B '1935':33B '1955':157B '1968':210B '1971':232B '2020':431B '2021':446B '2023':34B '2026':8A,27B,463B,556B '23':71B,555B '30':558B '3091':470B '35':235B '5':474B,560B '54th':367B '6':494B '60th':569B '7':461B,473B '8':475B,493B '915':567B 'abstract':133B 'addit':514B 'address':201B 'adler':90B 'african':228B,240B,338B 'age':234B 'also':200B,416B 'american':39B,229B,241B 'appoint':214B 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