On the search to find some of Melbourne’s finest artistic crowd, I bumped into the NGV’s Inherent Vice exhibition – a collective installation, showcasing some of the best street art, designs and cartoons by local artists. Visitors to this exhibition, running for five weeks, have the chance to witness what happens behind the doors of a cartoonist’s studio and the process of making comic art and independent comic books.

One of the eight artists participating in this project is Michael Fikaris, a Melbourne based artist who has been publishing comics of his own since high school. “This project gives the public the opportunity to engage with Melbourne’s contemporary art scene and actively involves young people through collaboration and engagement,” Michael told Neos Kosmos. “We had more than 900 people through on our first Sunday.”

These new emerging subcultures of do-it-yourself art are taken on by all eight artists in this exhibition. The exhibition aims to take the cartoonist out of their solitary studio and into a collaborative hub in the NGV studios in full view of the passing commuters so they can see first hand what goes on behind the doors of a cartoonist’s studio. The other eight artists who are part of the Inherent Vice project are Ben Hutchings, Mandy Ord, Michael Hawkins, Pat Grant, Rebecca Clements, Sarah Howell and Simon Hanselman.

The exhibition itself takes you on a beautiful journey of creativity and inspiration, as you watch the artists work in the NGV studio, drawing, painting, printing and binding.

I asked Michael what his expectations were for the exhibition, and if there are any other projects he has been involved in? “Over the years I have done comics for magazines, papers, arts festivals and theatre productions, to mention a few.

Drawing a lot and having an interest in storytelling can find you doing all sorts of interesting things to put food on the table. “I feel very fortunate to live in a great city like Melbourne in these times of wealth and creativity. Highlights so far have been working with international artists I have admired from afar in their own publications, and recently selling a selection of my own small press to the National Gallery of Australia.

“In the NGV studio I have been making loads of new comics and collaborating with others on new things, including daily 1 Hour Comics that we have been writing, illustrating and copying here in the studio in one hour – fun.” A self-taught artist, Michael has developed his craft by working closely with others and living by the philosophy that “culture is for everyone who takes part in it and everyone should take part in culture”.

With this style of street art and comics, there must be some obstacles to climb? “The obstacles are often sacrificing time and lifestyle to make art – most artists enjoy what they do and for this reason are maybe not always paid for their time the same way other members of our society are. Late nights at the desk after paying jobs can often lead to sleep deprivation and a terrible posture,” he said with a laugh.

Michael draws his inspiration from the city he lives in, his family, friends “and the idea of togetherness”. “I love hand made items and revisiting traditions that are often overlooked in this modern age. Inspiration often comes while doing something else so I always carry a notebook.”

He even credited his Greek heritage as assisting him in his art and inspiration. “Living in Melbourne with Greek heritage has only helped. There are also some fantastic comics from Greece, also, and I hope to one day have some of my own translated and published there.”

Michael has a plethora of upcoming projects – it’s a given being involved in such a dynamic art form. “Future projects include workshops in Alice Springs in September, bringing three Indonesian artists to Melbourne in October and a show in Sydney in November.

“Also, the works I sold to NGV I mentioned earlier are travelling around Australia and will be in Melbourne in September to November. The show is called Space Invaders. I am also in the process of finishing a new 96 page comic story about living in Melbourne to be published next year by a Sydney small press publisher.” Inherent Vices is on at Ian Potter Centre at Federation Square until 14 August.

For more information on Michael’s art, visit fikarisart.tumblr.com/