Bio

Born in Dortmund, Germany to Polish immigrant parents and migrating to Australia at a young age Filip (Fil) has always had a different view of his surroundings than that of his suburban Victorian classmates. Surrounded by artistic influences from birth, and being a continuous presence in Melbourne’s contemporary art scene for over two decades, inspiration has come in many forms for Filip. Fil’s father, Ryszard Konikowski, an internationally regarded artist in his own right has helped mould Filip’s keen eye for detail and his artistic drive. A constant critic Ryszard has helped Fil progress his art to the high calibre it is today. It was Ryszard who introduced Filip to photography in his early years by gifting him a Canon 400D. His idiosyncratic and detail orientated approach to his work has allowed him to connect with a plethora of unique individuals spanning many fields, building an impressive catalogue of imagery featuring the faces of Melbourne’s art, music and fashion industries. His many contributions have led to features in publications all over the world, including Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Vault and most notably, a feature in the National Gallery of Victoria’s ‘200 Years of Australian Fashion’. In his early twenties Fil’s love for all things vintage gave birth to his largest collection of work to date, Vintage Car Porn (VCP). An ever increasing collection of vintage car photography highlighting Melbourne’s classic car scene in situ. Being without a car, Fil travelled on slower modes of transport which allowed the hidden gems the necessary time to be noticed. Following the launch of the first VCP exhibition at B-side Gallery in January 2021, he is now preparing his second showcase for 2024 with some new surprises. In March 2022, Filip exhibited with his father for the first time in Melbourne with a showcase of their multiple talents. A full circle moment, it was undoubtedly the beginning of ongoing collaborations with the man who inspired Filip’s journey into the world of photography. After the success of the first VCP Exhibition, Fil put the wheels in motion for self publishing the Edition One of the VCP book in 2024, with the launch being held at Revolver Lane with over 200 people at the launch it was safe the say the book launch and exhibition was a success.