Jon Ott
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Jon Ott is an American arts administrator, art collector, and the official biographer and exhibitions advisor for African-American sculptor Richard Hunt. He is a founding board member of the Richard Hunt Legacy Foundation and chair emeritus of the International Sculpture Center. Ott became involved in supporting Hunt's artistic career and preserving his legacy after he died at the age of 88 in 2023.[1]
Career
[edit]Work with Richard Hunt
As an adolescent, Ott was introduced to Hunt by his parents. Later, he purchased a small sculpture of his. Hunt attended Ott's wedding in 2004, which came as a surprise, since they had only met a few times prior.[2]
In 2019, Ott began interviewing Hunt to learn more about his art and life, and traveled with him on several art-focused trips, as well. Hunt wrote to Ott on March 28, 2023, stating that "I want you to know I consider you my 'official biographer.' Your research and our dialogue put you in the unique position of being more knowledgeable of my history than any other person."[3]
Ott has conducted over one hundred hours of interviews and compiled a comprehensive chronology of Hunt's life and work, which was published in the 2022 monograph, Richard Hunt (Gregory Miller & Co).[4]
Ott has given gallery talks and participated in panel discussions about Hunt's work at major national arts institutions including the Chicago History Museum (Chicago, IL),[5] the Amon Carter Museum of American Art (Fort Worth, TX),[6] the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (Springfield, IL),[7] and White Cube Bermondsey (London, UK).[8] Ott has been a recurring guest on National Public Radio, where he's been interviewed about Richard Hunt's life and career,[9] and his 2024 exhibition titled Freedom in Form, at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.[10]
In a quote published in The New York Times, Ott indicates Hunt's drive for social justice and liberation, stating that, "That really set the tone for his entire artistic life, which was really focused around representing freedom, and freedom in every sense."[1]
Ott is featured in the documentary film, The Light of Truth: Richard Hunt's Monument to Ida B. Wells,. 2024. The film, directed by Rana Segal, documents Hunt's artistic process, and the integration of public art and social justice activism within his monumental sculptures.[11] In 2023, the Richard Hunt Legacy Foundation was established as a nonprofit arts organization. Ott is a founding board member and vice chair of the foundation.[12]
When the Public Art Archive published a database to document Richard Hunt's public works of art, Ott served as a content curator and collaborator for the project.[13]
International Sculpture Center
In 2020, Ott was appointed as the International Sculpture Center's Chairman of the Board of Trustees to serve a three-year term.[14] Richard Hunt was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Sculpture Center in 2009.[15]
Bibliography
[edit]Ott's writing on the artwork of Richard Hunt has been published in several short and long form articles and essays. In 2022, the monograph Richard Hunt was published with contributions from Ott as well as arts critics and historians LeRonn P. Brooks, Jordan Carter, Adrienne Childs, and John Yau.[16] For the publication, Ott organized a comprehensive illustrated chronology of Hunt's life and artistic career.[4] Ott's 2024 essay, "Richard Hunt: Sculpting Freedom," was published in conjunction with the exhibition Richard Hunt: Freedom in Form at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Smith, Mitch (2023-12-17). "Richard Hunt, Sculptor Who Transformed Public Spaces, Dies at 88". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
- ^ Holliday, Andrea (2024-02-01). "In the Cathedral of Sculpture: The Last Days and Years of Richard Hunt". New City Art. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
- ^ Hunt, Richard (2023-03-28). "Letter from Richard Hunt to Jon Ott (March 28, 2023)" (PDF). Richard Hunt archives.
- ^ a b Colvin, Rob. "Never Not a Success: Richard Hunt's Sculpture is Always Rising". Arts Magazine. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
- ^ "Pigment International Concludes Black Fine Art Month with Special Event and Richard Hunt Film Preview". Chicago Gallery News. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
- ^ "Paper Forum | Richard Hunt: Sculpting Freedom". www.cartermuseum.org. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
- ^ a b "Freedom in Form: Special Exhibit Tour & Gallery Talk". Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
- ^ "Conversations: Mark Godfrey and Jon Ott on Richard Hunt". White Cube. 2025-04-04.
- ^ "A tribute to Richard Hunt, 'One of the most important figures in art history'". WBEZ. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
- ^ "Prolific Chicago sculptor Richard Hunt's works are now on display at Springfield museum". WBEZ. 2024-12-03. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
- ^ "Director Rana Segal and Author Michelle Duster on the Ida B. Wells Monument and the Documentary of its Making". Chicago Literary Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
- ^ "Jon Ott member biography". International Sculpture Center.
- ^ "Richard Hunt". Public Art Archive. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
- ^ "The International Sculpture Center Welcomes New ISC Chair, Jon Ott". International Sculpture Center. 2020-12-22.
- ^ "The ISC Honors Richard Hunt with 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award". International Sculpture Center. 2008-12-01. Archived from the original on 2024-02-05. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
- ^ "Sculptor made an outsized impact in Chicago". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2025-05-06.