Novak was born and currently lives in Auckland, New Zealand. His artistic ‘self’ took years to materialize via a creative journey that is both unusual and uncommon. With his youth spent diverted towards academia and sports, Novak went on to become a medical doctor specializing in Public Health. However, a move to London in the early 2000s brought about a crucial expansion in life experience and the eventual ‘lightning-strike-type’ event, which unlocked his desire to create.
‘Hybrid 2.0’ features 12 shield/arch shaped works in which he explores ‘identity’ through charismatic animals fusing with humans to create engaging hybrid figures. Many of the central subjects are birds, which have always had a special place in both the history and modern-day life of Aotearoa, New Zealand. And the warrior aspect of the pieces reflects the fight that we all must undertake to break our own self-limiting beliefs. These works are a metaphor, mirroring Novak’s career and life journey.