Richard Higlett shifting practice is unified by a key theme in his work. In creating pieces that could be seen as 'acts of folly' he feels we see the true value of things. Represented through Mermaid and Monster the work on this site is made as part of an on- going body of work that looks at how empirical knowledge is created and how the same idea is dismissed over another.
He has created a fictional artist Wally French who exists in parallel to 20th century art while could be in many ways seen as an outsider in folk art terms.
The work is created through attempting to use ‘limited knowledge’ in their construction and involves materials sourced through the local community.
The work directly references key pieces of 20th century art yet it is implied that it has been created without an awareness of artists such as Duchamp, Magritte or Nash. Here the work is directly open to interpretation based on levels of education. The work sits between high and low art and looks at the question " what do people think art should be " based on their received experience of works of art.

Richard Higlett 2011

www.richardhiglett.com
www.jonesandhiglett.com
www.concreteisland.org.uk
www.mermaidandmonster.com