Philippe Hiquily first studied sculpture at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris where in 1953 he won the prestigious Prix de Sculpture. As a young student Hiquily visited the studios of Germaine Richier and Jean Tinguely and was there introduced to Georges Bataille and Max Ernst, who showed Hiquily a Surrealist approach to sculpture.

Under the guidance and encouragement of Germaine Richier, Hiquily began to make bases for her sculptures. Richier commissioned the original ‘Sellette’ (stand) from Hiquily in 1959, for an exhibition of her work at Galerie Creuzevault in Paris. Hiquily later editioned this work casting 100 stands with a brown patina and a 100 with a black one. ‘Sellette’ is both a sculpture in its’ own right and a design object created to enhance the work of another.

Hiquily garnered much international success, winning the prestigious Critic’s Prize for sculpture in the 1959 Paris Biennale. His works are held in many major public institutions such as Museum of Modern Art, New York; Solomon R Guggenheim, New York; Smithsonian Institute, Washington; Museum of Contemporary Art, Montreal; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris.