ARTIST STATEMENT

“Fikaris focus’ on the extremities of experience and of human consciousness and behaviour, taking in and engaging with the unavoidable ambiguities that are inherent. His is a fearless human art, art that makes no compromises in its appraisal of what most of us would be too afraid to say and a lot would rather leave unsaid, and that Fikaris, alone save for a few, has the courage to articulate.” - Braddock

As a freelance artist his work has been in all manner of different places as many things, including -, design, illustration, cartooning, drawing, literature, print, painting and graffitti. He has accepted funding from corporations, institutions, government, independants and other artists.
Fikaris is a self taught artist and has learnt a great deal working with many others over the years living his life with the philosophy 'culture is for everyone who takes part in it and everyone should take part in culture'. His communal drawing nights ‘trails’ since moving back to Australia in 2006 show this.

Artist Background

Fikaris started to self publish his short improvised comics as 'froth' in 1993 and started publishing others work in collections ‘pure evil’ in 1997 as the braddock coalition. Exhibiting comics and drawings in 1999 with Kieran Mangan, in 2002 they started ‘Silent Army’ and began publishing larger collections of alternative comic artists from Australia and New Zealand. Silent Army evolved, through involvement with Andy Mac and Citylights, to include many artists using print in collections such as ‘True Fantasy’ and ‘Laughing Skulls’. In late 2009 Silent Army was asked to be part of the National Gallery of Australia’s touring collection ‘Space Invaders’ - .Australian Street,Stencils,posters,paste-ups,zines and stickers

Fikaris continues to self publish, curate, organize and promote ‘Silent Army’ in various ways including recently communicating between 8 artist with the National Gallery of Victoria studio space in 2011.
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In 2012 Silent Army will release 4 new collections of comic artists from Australia and New Zealand.
www.silentarmy.org

Probably best known as a comic book maker and street artist, he can also be seen walking street tours of Melbournes vibrant public art for Melbourne street tours.
www.melbournestreettours.com