Book Bird
By Richard Hunt
About
The artwork
Richard Hunt turns a simple image—a bird rising from an open book—into a statement about learning as a form of freedom. Made as one of his final works, it draws on a design he originally created in 1985 for the United Negro College Fund and reimagines it at a larger scale for the Chicago Public Library’s Obama Presidential Center branch. The sculpture reflects his long-standing interest in how education shapes opportunity and change.
Location: Chicago Public Library | Reading Garden
The artist
Richard Hunt was an American sculptor known for his public works across the United States. Based in Chicago, he built a career shaping metal into expressive, abstract forms. Hunt was the first African American sculptor to have work acquired by the Museum of Modern Art, and his sculptures appear in parks, museums, and civic spaces nationwide.
Explore More
Hear from Richard Hunt
Listen to the Obama Presidential Center audio guide to hear late Chicago sculptor Richard Hunt share how his final commission, Book Bird , celebrates the transformative power of reading and lifelong learning.
Chicago Public Library, Obama Presidential Center Branch
The Rachel Carson Reading Garden is located off of the Obama Presidential Center Library, a new branch of the Chicago Public Library that celebrates creativity and fosters imagination for our next generation of leaders.
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