Aubrey Higgin

04/12/21 • 60 min

This week's episode see's Leo in conversation with artist and collector Aubrey Higgin
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Aubrey Higgin is an artist and collector based between London and the West Midlands. He completed his BA studies in Art and History of Art at The University of Reading, graduating in 2017.
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Aubrey was first introduced to art from his Grandmother, who would routinely sit him down to paint with watercolours alongside her. It seems this early foray into art stuck with him as he pursued art throughout school and on to University. Aubrey's journey hasn't been smooth sailing, illness struck while at University and he was left bedbound for over a year. Art took on a healing and restorative role for him, something that imbues his paintings with a joy and life-affirming positivity that is wonderful to behold.
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Forever fascinated by nature, Aubrey's work often depicts waterlilies and waves. Far from his watercolour beginnings, his work is now completed in hugely thick strokes of impasto oil paint, with his work regularly being inches thick. His most recent body of work has been pressing into a more abstract corner, fuelled by his desire to distil the landscape onto the canvas.
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During our chat, we discussed Aubrey's artistic practice, from drawing cats for dates in the playground to being influenced by Gerhard Richter and showing work in multiple galleries nationwide. We also got onto Aubrey's role as a collector, mulling over the important role collectors play in the fabric of the arts and even which artists he thinks you should be collecting too!
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Thank you so much to Aubrey for coming on the podcast.
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You can find Aubrey on Instagram
@aubreyhiggin_art

Find all images discussed @Curatingconversation
and The Rafiki Gallery @the_rafiki_gallery
If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support, you can do so via Ko-Fi, which allows you to virtually donate the equivalent price to a cup of coffee with which to support the podcast and help me in producing more episodes and hosting interesting guests!
Thank you so much.
https://ko-fi.com/curatingconversation

Support the show

Find all images discussed @Curatingconversation
If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support it, you can do so via Patreon which allows you to become a patron of the podcast which helps me to produce more episodes and host interesting guests!
www.patreon.com/curatingconversation
Thank you so much.
Leo

Support the show

Previous Episode

Caroline Gormley, Made In Paisley

This week's episode see's Leo in conversation with artist and arts facilitator Caroline Gormley
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Caroline Gormley is a Scottish artist, based in Paisley. She studied art at Glasgow Kelvin College, obtaining a 1st class degree, before starting up Made In Paisley alongside artist Alexander Guy.
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Caroline's route into art was not a direct one, having been a carer from the age of 12 she has spent most of her life looking after others and only at the age of 40 did she decide to apply for art school. Her journey since then has been one of positivity and community, sparked by her meeting Alexander Guy.
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Made In Paisley is an arts studio that offers art classes to children and adults. Through learning how to handle paint, it offers the opportunity for many people to encounter creativity, form a community and take a break from the stress of the outside world. Paisley is known for its industrial heritage as much as for the textile production of the same name, but within this is a beating heart of creativity that can be seen alive and well within Caroline and Alexander's community.
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During our chat, we discussed Caroline's early years and how she eventually followed the artistic calling that was always there. We talked about the hardships and pains of painting, alongside the joy and freedom it can bring. Within all this we considered the motives behind her own personal artistic style and the importance of being true to oneself.
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Thank you so much to Caroline for coming on the podcast.
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You can find Caroline and Made in Paisley on Instagram at
@caroline_gormley
and @made_in_paisley

Find all images discussed @Curatingconversation
and The Rafiki Gallery @the_rafiki_gallery
If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support, you can do so via Ko-Fi, which allows you to virtually donate the equivalent price to a cup of coffee with which to support the podcast and help me in producing more episodes and hosting interesting guests!
Thank you so much.
https://ko-fi.com/curatingconversation

Support the show

Next Episode

Anna Choutova & Flora Bradwell, Bad Art

This week's episode see's Leo in conversation with the fabulous duo Anna Choutova and Flora Bradwell, the team behind Bad Art Presents.
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Anna Choutova is a visual artist and curator working and studying in London. She is currently studying for an MFA in Painting at Slade School of Fine Art, after graduating with a First Class Honours with a BA in Painting from Brighton University in 2015
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Flora Bradwell is an artist and curator whose playful, generously grotesque practice encompasses painting, sculpture, installation, performance and moving image. Flora has exhibited internationally and collaborated in curating site responsive projects, performance events and exhibitions across the UK.
She undertook a BA in Fine Art painting at City & Guilds of London Art School, from 2007 - 2009 and is currently undertaking a further MFA in Fine Art at Slade School of Art.
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Bad Art is a curatorial project founded in 2016 by Anna, with Flora latterly joining as co-director. With an aim to challenge the contemporary art world through transgressive exhibitions that offer a different way of interacting with art. Their shows are a reaction & protest against the hushed silence, white-walled gallery experience.
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During our chat, we discussed the backgrounds to each of their artistic practices, along with how the two crossed paths and their friendship developed. Topics discussed include the role of text in art spaces, the importance of understanding why artists create and their joint desires to create spaces that remove the stale air from art. I dubbed the project a 'multi-sensory, art fuelled wonderland of fantasma'.
We even got a glimpse into their new Berlin project, 'Hot Air', which will be happening later in 2021.
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Thank you so much to Anna and Flora for coming on the podcast.
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You can find Anna and Flora on Instagram
@Annachoutova1
@florabradwellart
and Bad Art
@Badartpresents
Find all images discussed @Curatingconversation
and The Rafiki Gallery @the_rafiki_gallery
If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support, you can do so via Ko-Fi, which allows you to virtually donate the equivalent price to a cup of coffee with which to support the podcast and help me in producing more episodes and hosting interesting guests!
Thank you so much.
https://ko-fi.com/curatingconversation