The Library
Hunt read widely. He drew inspiration from beyond the visual arts to poetry, biology, histories of the African continent, zoology, and music as sources of interest. These books are a selection gathered from Hunt’s studios and represent a small portion of the breadth of his library.
Highlights from Hunt’s library provide a window into how he formed his identity as an artist over many decades.
Selected Poems
Robert Hayden
October House, 1966
Robert Hayden (1913–1980) and Richard Hunt, born a generation apart, were friends and admired each other’s artistic accomplishments. After decades of persistent effort, Hayden received critical acclaim for this volume of poetry. Hunt’s library has many of Hayden’s subsequent publications.
The Mis-Education of the Negro
Carter G. Woodson
First published in 1933 by The Associated Publishers
Woodson (1875–1950) was one of the first scholars of his generation to study the African diaspora, determined to champion an educational approach that centered Black history and experience. Hunt’s mother, one of Chicago’s first Black librarians, undoubtedly introduced Hunt
to Woodson’s philosophy.
Isamu Noguchi: Sculptural Design
Vitra Design Museum, 2002
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, anti-Japanese sentiment was invigorated in the US. Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988) was an accomplished artist and advocate for democracy when he became the only voluntary internee at Poston Internment Camp in 1942. Hunt’s library has many Noguchi books and monographs, revealing that he was closely watching
his contemporaries.
Striking Iron: The Art of African Blacksmiths
Edited by Allen F. Roberts, Tom Joyce and Marla C. Berns
Fowler Museum at UCLA, 2019
Hunt began building his African art collection in the early 1970s, gravitating to items he thought had a visual impact. This personal collection has provided influence and inspiration throughout his career. Hunt thought of himself as a part of a long lineage of metalworkers and sculptors spanning the globe.
Hunt sitting with his extensive library in 2021 at his satellite studio, the Richard Hunt Studio Center, in Benton Harbor, Michigan, which Hunt gifted to the Krasl Art Center in St. Joseph, Michigan.