Michael Fikaris is an independent artist based in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia. "I make art about everyday experiences and often the process is very ordinary and mundane. I take the ordinary and go with it into the poetic, surreal and abstract."
Initially a central figure in both Melbourne’s comic zine and street art movements in the early 2000's, Fikaris has expanded their practice into mural painting, graphic storytelling and editorial collaborations, sustaining a career that includes freelance commissions and ongoing partnerships at home and around the world. Cross-cultural experiences have inspired his understanding of the role of art as not just a luxury, but as an essential process for making sense of the world we all share.
Fikaris is also an autonomous archivist and connector who founded Silent Army Projects in 2011, a platform focused on collaborative, creative engagement. This dedication has seen him receive the national award for outstanding service to Australian comics, produce many publications and manage several international tours which have resulted in meaningful intercultural projects and connections. At the heart of their practice, whether hired to paint a mural or deliver a talk, every opportunity is seen as a chance to foster connections with people and place.
As an author and illustrator of graphic fiction, highlights include works published with Kus Comics EU, SRY not Sorry (2022) and Glom Press AU, Check Points (2023), short pieces in literary journals The Lifted Brow and Meanjin, as well as with international publishers Pantheon US, Rescue Party and Strapazin CH, No.160. He has participated in international placements in Belgium, Portugal, Greece, Catalonia and Indonesia as well as working with public art festivals in UK, France, Timor and Australia.
Fikaris' work is held in several major public collections, including the National Gallery of Victoria (Living Artists Collection), the State Library of Victoria (Artists’ Books Collection), and the National Gallery of Australia (Book Arts Collection).
Initially a central figure in both Melbourne’s comic zine and street art movements in the early 2000's, Fikaris has expanded their practice into mural painting, graphic storytelling and editorial collaborations, sustaining a career that includes freelance commissions and ongoing partnerships at home and around the world. Cross-cultural experiences have inspired his understanding of the role of art as not just a luxury, but as an essential process for making sense of the world we all share.
Fikaris is also an autonomous archivist and connector who founded Silent Army Projects in 2011, a platform focused on collaborative, creative engagement. This dedication has seen him receive the national award for outstanding service to Australian comics, produce many publications and manage several international tours which have resulted in meaningful intercultural projects and connections. At the heart of their practice, whether hired to paint a mural or deliver a talk, every opportunity is seen as a chance to foster connections with people and place.
As an author and illustrator of graphic fiction, highlights include works published with Kus Comics EU, SRY not Sorry (2022) and Glom Press AU, Check Points (2023), short pieces in literary journals The Lifted Brow and Meanjin, as well as with international publishers Pantheon US, Rescue Party and Strapazin CH, No.160. He has participated in international placements in Belgium, Portugal, Greece, Catalonia and Indonesia as well as working with public art festivals in UK, France, Timor and Australia.
Fikaris' work is held in several major public collections, including the National Gallery of Victoria (Living Artists Collection), the State Library of Victoria (Artists’ Books Collection), and the National Gallery of Australia (Book Arts Collection).
“Michael Fikaris is a great worker in comic books, a remarkable innovator and scene setter… he’s really part of the materiality of Melbourne”.
- Smart Arts, Triple R FM Radio , Melbourne, 2023
- Smart Arts, Triple R FM Radio , Melbourne, 2023
“I deeply admire and respect the passion and energy Michael Fikaris pours into everything he does. He has always been generous of spirit and I feel an immense amount of gratitude to him for providing so many of us in the comic community with opportunities to have our work seen and read. These invitations continue to play an intrinsic role in supporting many creators in Australia and internationally to find a home for their work as well as fostering the confidence to pursue other publishing opportunities. Michael’s warm heart, welcoming presence and zest for creativity continues to inspire. He brings people together and he makes things happen. I am a huge fan of his work and I feel lucky to have created comics in a time with Michael Fikaris.”
- Mandy Ord. Cartoonist, Melbourne.
“Michael Fikaris is a person I regard as a mentor. He’s a spirit of great calmness and authenticity. I look up to him in many ways and seek to emulate his passion for community and belief on the power of drawing to unite people. I really admire Michael’s ability to work across mediums, communities and spaces. His ability to connect like minded creatives and kind people is legendary. He creates safe place and I admire his softness of friendship and his never ending drive to create. He’s made a huge impact on the creative community and is a person I very much respect and see as a leader in many creative sub cultures across Melbourne and around the world”.
- David Booth/ghostpatrol. Artist, Melbourne.
- Mandy Ord. Cartoonist, Melbourne.
“Michael Fikaris is a person I regard as a mentor. He’s a spirit of great calmness and authenticity. I look up to him in many ways and seek to emulate his passion for community and belief on the power of drawing to unite people. I really admire Michael’s ability to work across mediums, communities and spaces. His ability to connect like minded creatives and kind people is legendary. He creates safe place and I admire his softness of friendship and his never ending drive to create. He’s made a huge impact on the creative community and is a person I very much respect and see as a leader in many creative sub cultures across Melbourne and around the world”.
- David Booth/ghostpatrol. Artist, Melbourne.