Novalis Art Design was founded in 2012 with the aim of pushing the boundaries of art and design in Hong Kong. From the start the principle of Novalis was that art and design deserved the same level of respect and appreciation, thus the gallery places equal focus on both art and design in its programming.

Novalis Art Design started out with showcasing a large Memphis Group design, the famous Italian design movement founded by Ettore Sottsass in 1981 which defined the ‘80s aesthetic and revolutionised the design world as it expanded the boundaries of design by emphasizing the expressive possibilities of design as a vehicle of communication, rather than just one of utilitarian function. Since then, Novalis Art Design has expanded the design program to showcase new design with a conceptual focus. With art, Novalis Art Design adopts a similar approach, placing importance on the conceptual. Whether in art or design, what matters is the concept behind the work, no matter the medium.

Novalis Art Design continues to strive to provide a platform for integrating art and design in the true sense, through experimentation and sparking new dialogues between the disciplines of art, design and beyond. The gallery sees that more could be done in terms of design education and aims to drive dialogues of design and the interplay between art and design.