Hiquily left the Beaux-Arts in 1953, awarded the Sculpture Prize for his work “Neptune”. He acquires his first studio located at 32 rue Raymond Losserand in the 14th arrondissement of Paris. That same year, he developed the technique known as “direct metal” consisting of pushing back the sheet and welding it, inspired by that of Gonzalez and the Greek archaics. He then made one of the most important encounters of his career: that of the artist Germaine Richier who was immediately seduced by the work of the young Philippe Hiquily
