Michael Fikaris is an artist, author and illustrator based in Naarm/Melbourne, Australia who's work explores themes of identity, connection and growth. Initially a central figure in both Melbourne’s independent comic art and street art movements in the early 2000's, Fikaris has expanded their ouvre into cultural collaborations, editorial projects and large-scale painting, sustaining a career that includes freelance commissions and ongoing partnerships around the world.
As an author and illustrator of graphic fiction, Fikaris has comic books with Glom Press (Check Points, 2023), Kus! (SRY not Sorry, 2022) and shorter pieces in many anthologies and magazines, including with Pantheon (Rescue Party, 2024) and Strapazin (Issue 160, 2025). They have participated on international placements in Belgium, Portugal, Greece, Catalonia and Indonesia as well as worked with public art festivals in UK, France and Timor Leste.
As a producer and community arts practitioner, Fikaris founded Silent Army Projects in 2011, a platform focused on collaborative, creative engagement. This dedication has seen him receive a 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. Cross-cultural experiences have inspired their understanding of the role of art as not a luxury, but as an essential process for making sense of the world we all share.
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). 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.
“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