News

Welcome to Mount Vernon Triangle, De Novo Gallery!

Thursday May 8, 2025

Treat yourself to a little window shopping next time you walk down the 400 Block of K Street NW! On Monday, May 5, De Novo Gallery opened its inaugural “Window Project” exhibition, featuring work by artist Esther Ruiz at 465 K Street NW. Following a successful tenure at Union Market, De Novo Gallery launched the “Window Project” as an initiative aiming to reimagine underutilized retail windows and storefronts across Washington, D.C. as curated exhibition spaces, continuing the gallery’s mission to foster meaningful connections between artists and diverse audiences. Read an excerpt from the press release describing Esther Ruiz’s installation:

The mirrored wall works – the Wells – serve as wormholes or entry points to these cerebral landscapes, while the freestanding and wall mounted sculptures act as objects from these landscapes. The Volumes act as a stand-in for familiar domestic objects, perhaps as tomes containing foreign information, laden with uncertain functionality, suggesting humanistic utilitarian function with enigmatic qualities that evoke mysterious qualities of an unknown civilization.

Ruiz’s hand-carved forms are outfitted with bands of neon each distinct in style and shape, balancing industrial materials with the wonders of the natural world they reflect. The result is a suite of whimsical, yet complex, structures that examine the dichotomy between visual perception and spiritual elevation.

After seeing numerous comments in our 2024 Neighborhood Perception Survey requesting that something be done about the empty storefronts along K Street NW, MVT CID staff have been working with City Vista property owner EDENS to find a temporary window display while work continues to fill the retail space. We are thrilled to be able to share this successful partnership with our community and thank EDENS – as they continue to work hard to fill the space – for their ongoing commitment to making Mount Vernon Triangle a vibrant and welcoming place for all to enjoy!