Dick Higgins dies at age 60 in Quebec
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" I find I never feel quite complete unless I1m doing all the arts - visual, musical and literary. I guess that1s why I developed the term Intermedia, to cover my works that fall conceptually between these. "
Dick HIGGINS
[Cambridge/UK] 1938 - [Quebec] 1998
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It is with consternation that the magazine INTER and Le lieu, centre en art actuel, confirm the death of Dick HIGGINS, in Quebec this Monday October 26, 1998.
Well-known for his implication in the early Happenings as well as a cofounder of the Fluxus movement, it is to Dick HIGGINS that we owe the concept of Intermedia that he introduced in the Sixties (1965) and of which apply to many current artistic practices.
Born on March 15, 1938 in Cambridge in England, HIGGINS studied in the United States, in particular with John CAGE before taking part with New York Audio-Visual Group in various actions between the Happenings and what will be later known under the name of Fluxus to which he will take an active part along with G MACIUNAS, G BRECHT and other artists of this period.
In addition, he founded the Something Else Press editions (1963) and realised a considerable quantity of publications on the Intermedia artists and Fluxus of this period.
Through these activities, he produced the first exhibition of concrete poetry to the United States in 1966. He continued thereafter a nomadic adventure through various disciplines, from musical, visual to literature, giving performances, conferences, exhibitions, workshops and various lectures.
Dick HIGGINS had come to Quebec several times (in 1984, festivals Neo Son(g) Cabaret and In Memoriam George Maciunas, in 1986 Especes nomades, and 1988 for Immedia Concerto).
He returned here this time for the International Meeting on ART ACTION 1958-1998 where he presented a
conference and carried out some pieces during a Fluxus evening coordinated by Larry MILLER and in which also collaborated Eric ANDERSEN, Felipe EHRENBERG, Charles DREYFUS, Jean-Jacques LEBEL...
In an interview, Dick HIGGINS stated his interest in the production of the young artists and his curiousity to discover their way of defining and of naming their
practices. His death the morning after the event has deeply moved the participants in this Meeting where his interventions throughout conference were noticed. Dick HIGGINS remains and will remain present in the memory of Living art and in art action.
Richard Carter HIGGINS, sixty years of age passed on of a heart attack .
INTER and Le LIEU join all the participants in the conference Art Action to honor Dick Higgins and join with the mourning of Alison KNOWLES (artist he married in 1960), their daughters, Jessica and Hannah, their close relations and friends.
Inter/Le Lieu
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" I find I never feel quite complete unless I1m doing all the arts - >visual, musical and literary. I guess that1s why I developed the term Intermedia, to cover my works that fall conceptually between these. "
Dick HIGGINS
[Cambridge/UK] 1938 - [Quebec] 1998
Los Orígenes de la poesía sonora por Dick Higgins