HYDE PARK — A late sculptor behind some of the city’s most celebrated works is being honored with a mural of his own.

A striking portrait of Richard Hunt now graces the side of a building at 1515-19 E. 54th St., nearly three years after his death at age 88. The mural, created by Chris Devins, is intended to be a permanent installation, the artist told Block Club.

For Devins and author/historian Michelle Duster, the project was personal. Both considered Hunt a dear friend; one of his last works was the Ida B. Wells Monument now standing in Bronzeville, a tribute to Duster’s great-grandmother. 

“He was a modest person,” said Duster. “I wanted to honor him with a large-scale mural to make his image more visible.”

Duster and Devins had been working on the project since 2021, raising money while building support for their mission. Initially, they eyed a building in the Loop, but that plan quickly fell apart. The two looked at 50 buildings across the South Side before settling on the Hyde Park location.

The new mural replaces a temporary one Devins installed honoring First Aid Comics owner James Nurss as part of Devins’ “Hyde Park Heroes” series. 

About $30,000 ultimately went toward creating and erecting the mural, funded through an Illinois Arts Council grant, a GoFundMe campaign and private donations.

Devins said the fundraising and production process became a major commitment, particularly with a Sept. 30 deadline from the project’s funder.

“It took about two and a half to three days, with me doing most of the work. I had some help during the installation for safety,” said Devins. 

The photograph used for the mural was taken by Devins during a visit to Hunt’s studio.

Hunt was one of the city’s most prominent Black artists, with more than 35 outdoor sculptures around Chicago. Devins and Duster said placing the mural in this part of Hyde Park was a way to honor Hunt in the neighborhood where many of his sculptures can be found.

For Devins, honoring Hunt also means recognizing the role artists play in shaping Chicago’s neighborhoods.

“Artists should be treated as partners in creating culture, not simply as resources brought in to produce an image or decorate a wall,” said Devins, whose 2023 “Bronzeville Legends” project won a Landmarks Illinois Preservation Award.

The mural offers a simple invitation to anyone passing by: Look closer, learn his name and discover the work behind the face, said Duster.

And for those who already knew Hunt, it is a chance to see a familiar figure become part of the neighborhood once again.

“Richard is larger than life. He deserves to be represented as larger than life. He embodies Chicago,” said Duster.

Devins and Duster are hosting a small gathering to celebrate the installation 4 p.m. Oct. 15, with a reception to follow at the Bronzeville Historical Society, 4455 S. King Drive. Guests are encouraged to RSVP by sending an email to michelle@mldwrites.com.

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