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Shannon Novak

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Shannon Novak
Born1979
New Plymouth, New Zealand
NationalityCroatia, New Zealand
EducationElam School of Fine Arts
Alma materUniversity of Auckland
Known forinstallation, sculpture, painting, digital art

Shannon Novak (born 1979, New Plymouth) is a New Zealand artist and curator of Croatian descent (otherwise known as Tarara in New Zealand). Novak's work aims to reduce anxiety, depression, and suicide rates for LGBTQI+ communities worldwide by highlighting the challenges and triumphs of those communities.[1][2][3][4][5]

Early life and activism

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Novak was trained as a pianist in his early age. He later started composing and performing his own works.[6][7] Novak grew up as a closeted LGBTQI+ person in Taranaki in the 1980's and 1990's. During this time he was the co-founder of LGBTQI+ youth group called Bent.[8][9]

In late 2018, Novak co-founded the Conversion Therapy Action Group with local LGBTQI+ activists Shaneel Lal, Harry Robson, Max Tweedie, and Neihana Waitai, to work towards ending conversion therapy in New Zealand.[10][11]

In 2019, Novak founded the Safe Space Alliance, a LGBTQI+ led nonprofit organisation that aims to help people find and create safe spaces for LGBTQI+ communities around the world.[12]

In 2020, Novak successfully campaigned for a rainbow crossing in New Plymouth with support from local LGBTQI+ communities.[13]

In 2022, the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill passed its third and final reading, becoming law.[14] In 2023, Novak (through the Safe Space Alliance) initiated the reclassification of selected indecent/restricted LGBTQI+ publications under the defunct Indecent Publications Act 1963 (New Zealand) to “unrestricted”.[15][16][17][18]

Art career

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Novak attended Elam School of Fine Arts and graduated with Master of Fine Arts from University of Auckland.[19] Novak is known for his geometric abstraction and work that explores beyond traditional exhibition spaces such as windows,[20] and outside of buildings.[21] He is known to explore interrelationships between sound, colour, form, time, space, and social context surrounding the rainbow community.[22]

From 2013, he explored art with augmented reality that animates on people's phones when pointed at specific points of his works.[6][7] In 2013, Novak was commissioned by the Auckland Art Gallery to develop a body of AR work using mobile devices, augmenting artwork and architectural elements at the gallery. This work used a marker-based approach where the work was triggered by what mobile devices saw through their cameras.[6] Later in 2013, Novak used a location-based approach where the work was triggered by GPS coordinates on mobile devices. This work was a three-dimensional AR sculpture with sound called Pastorale in Central Park that simulated the mechanics of a real sculpture, changing scale and volume (sound) depending on the viewers' distance from the work.[23] In 2018, Novak extended this work using head -mounted displays at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery. Visitors wore a Microsoft HoloLens and could use voice commands and gestures to interact with a three-dimensional AR sculpture, changing its size, colour, and configuration.[24]

In 2018, Novak co-developed a work at Te Tuhi called Flight of the Magnolia. This work used existing security cameras to visualise movement in real time on an onsite screen and website.[25] This collaboration continued in 2020 with a work in public space that translated movement into visuals.[26]

In 2021, Novak was selected for the 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT10) at the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA). For his contribution, Novak developed Make Visible: Queensland, a community-led body of work spanning sites inside the gallery and outside the gallery including the University of Southern Queensland.[27][28] Novak extended this work to New Zealand In 2022 where he initiated Make Visible: Te Whanganui-a-Tara with Wellington City Council, a project that aimed to help lower rates of anxiety, suicide, and depression for rainbow communities in Wellington.

In 2022, Novak created a project named Hard Labour in New Plymouth Prison, which between 1912 and 1952 was used to imprison gay men who were forced to do hard labour in the nearby quarry.[29]

In 2024, Novak was commissioned to create an algorithm-based work for Te Ara I Whiti - The Lightpath where path lighting changed colour in response to movement.[30]

In 2025, Novak presented a solo exhibition at Stanford University in collaboration with the Stanford Center for AI Safety and the Stanford Department of Art & Art History. This work highlighted the dangers of conversational AI agents with physical and virtual AI-developed work extending beyond campus to the Computer History Museum, San José Museum of Art, and Institute of Contemporary Art San José.[19][31]

Novak's works are in the collection of the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA,[32] Dunedin Public Art Gallery,[33] Suter Art Gallery,[34] Auckland Art Gallery,[35] Sarjeant Gallery,[36] University of Auckland,[37] St. Lawrence University,[38] Chartwell Trust,[39] and PricewaterhouseCoopers.[2]

Residencies

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Selected solo exhibitions / installations

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Selected group exhibitions

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References

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  1. ^ "Making the rainbow visible in global mental health project". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Make Visible Te Whanganui-a-Tara celebrates rainbow communities of Pōneke". Wellington City Council. 31 May 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  3. ^ "Taranaki the Rainbow Region: Billboard aims to get acceptance for LGBTQI+ in the province". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Shannon Novak offers opportunities for plurality in art". Radio New Zealand. 18 July 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Shannon Novak | Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre". cms.govettbrewster.com. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  6. ^ a b c "Shannon Novak Scherzando (2013)". www.circuit.org.nz. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  7. ^ a b Fox, Rebecca (6 April 2017). "Art - but not as you know it". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  8. ^ "Therapeutic Agent | Puke Ariki". pukeariki.com. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  9. ^ "On building bridges: An interview with Shannon Novak – Francis McWhannell". Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  10. ^ "Banning conversion practices". Te Ngākau Kahukura. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  11. ^ Conversion Practices in Aotearoa New Zealand - Insights and Recommendations from a Human Rights Perspective (Report). Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission. June 2024.
  12. ^ Tweed, Mike (17 February 2021). "Making safe spaces for our rainbow communities". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  13. ^ "New Plymouth takes a step in the right direction with rainbow crossing". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
  14. ^ "Politicians react as bill to ban conversion therapy passes". RNZ. 15 February 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  15. ^ Classification Office Decision (OFLC ref. 2200561.000) (Report). Office of Film and Literature Classification. 25 August 2023.
  16. ^ Classification Office Decision (OFLC ref. 2200562.000) (Report). Office of Film and Literature Classification. 25 August 2023.
  17. ^ Classification Office Decision (OFLC ref. 2300516.000) (Report). Office of Film and Literature Classification. 3 January 2024.
  18. ^ Classification Office Decision (OFLC ref. 2300522.000) (Report). Office of Film and Literature Classification. 4 April 2024.
  19. ^ a b "Shannon Novak - Fine Arts - The University of Auckland". www.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  20. ^ Wood, Andrew. "Major Art Residency Falling Under The Radar". thebigidea.nz. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  21. ^ "Shannon Novak: Tone Connections". The Arts House Trust. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  22. ^ "Shannon Novak – The Museum of Geometric and MADI Art". www.geometricmadimuseum.org. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  23. ^ Novak, Shannon; Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "'Pastorale' by Shannon Novak". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  24. ^ Morris, Chris (3 March 2018). "Digital sculpture at gallery". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  25. ^ "Shannon Novak & Jeff Nusz: Flight of the Magnolia". tetuhi.art. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  26. ^ Live, Auckland. "I Extend My Arms". Auckland Live. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  27. ^ a b "Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art". Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  28. ^ "Its Ok to be Me". www.unisq.edu.au. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  29. ^ a b Harvey, Helen (22 June 2022). "Hard Labour: 70 years since New Plymouth prison was used to lock up gay men". Stuff. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  30. ^ "Experience Te Ara I Whiti - The Lightpath for Art Week". NZ Herald. 26 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  31. ^ a b "Shannon Novak: Trust. Me. | Department of Art & Art History". art.stanford.edu. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  32. ^ "Shannon Novak". collection.qagoma.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  33. ^ "Vessel LII". Dunedin Public Art Gallery Collection Online. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  34. ^ "Online collection". The Suter Art Gallery. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  35. ^ "Shannon Novak". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  36. ^ "Identity: Hue II". Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  37. ^ "Art Collection > Search Results". artcollection.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  38. ^ "Shannon Novak: Make Visible | St. Lawrence University". www.stlawu.edu. 6 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  39. ^ Chartwell. "Shannon Novak". The Chartwell Project. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  40. ^ "Annual Artist Partnership". www.burnettfoundation.org.nz. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  41. ^ "Its Ok to be Me". www.unisq.edu.au. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  42. ^ "CentralTrak Artist's Exhibit Maps Sound to Image - News Center | The University of Texas at Dallas". news.utdallas.edu. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  43. ^ "Pride at Precinct 2024". Precinct. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  44. ^ "GIVE LIGHT - SHANNON NOVAK". Sylvia Park. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  45. ^ "Blink | Burnett Foundation Aotearoa". www.blinkltd.co.nz. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  46. ^ "Shannon Novak | Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre". cms.govettbrewster.com. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  47. ^ "Inflection Point". Artnow. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  48. ^ "A Taste of Honey, A Virtual Exhibition Organized by Hawkfish". Brush Art Gallery. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  49. ^ "a new love order". Bruce E. Phillips. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  50. ^ "Bergman Gallery at Aotearoa Art Fair 2022 | Artsdiary 3831". artsdiary.co.nz. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  51. ^ "Queer Algorithms (2020) | Gus Fisher Gallery". gusfishergallery.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  52. ^ "Sympathetic Resonance". The Suter Art Gallery. 20 October 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  53. ^ "Art in the Parks Current Exhibitions : New York City Department of Parks & Recreation : NYC Parks". www.nycgovparks.org. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  54. ^ matadigital. "Soft Architecture". UXBRIDGE. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  55. ^ "ISMAR 2015". ismar2015.vgtc.org. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  56. ^ Armstrong, Kate (1 January 2015). Art and Disruption.
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