Artist Richard Hunt is being remembered as a friend to Benton Harbor following his death this past weekend.
Krasl Art Center Director Tammy Fauver tells us the Chicago-based Hunt opened his Benton Harbor studio in 1995 and had a working relationship creating pieces for the Krasl ever since. Major examples are the 50-foot sculpture, And You, Seas that rises from the south pier of Silver Beach County Park as well as Rising Crossing Tides, a sculpture on the Krasl grounds commissioned in 2018.
“The many years and several projects in between there, we did exhibitions with him as well in our galleries, both of his artwork, of his collection of African art, and artwork by his studio assistants,” Fauver said.
Fauver says Richard Hunt primarily worked in steel and could often be found welding the abstract pieces that made him renown nationally. Although from Chicago, he could frequently be found in Benton Harbor.
“He had several close friends here, but I also think that Richard was a public artist and he believed in the role of art in the public realm, what they could do for the community, and I think he was really enamored with this idea of community renewal through the arts.
Hunt donated his Benton Harbor studio to the Krasl this year, and Fauver says they’ll take it over and announce plans for it in the new year. She describes Hunt as generous and kind to the community.
Hunt died at his home in Chicago this past weekend at the age of 88.
