About Desnivel Gallery

I moved Desnivel from the basement of my home into storefronts throughout the East Village, the neighborhood I have lived in for over fifteen years, as a way to think more openly about what it takes to sustain an art space while expanding the ways audiences encounter contemporary art.

The East Village has long been a place where artists and galleries have taken risks, tested ideas, and supported one another. Since the 1980s, galleries such as Pat Hearn Gallery, Colin de Land’s Vox Populi, P·P·O·W, Fun Gallery, Gracie Mansion Gallery, Civilian Warfare, and others have played a crucial role in shaping artistic discourse and building lasting communities. Desnivel is deeply informed by this history and by the ongoing labor of galleries that continue to support artists and create context for their work.

Rather than positioning itself as an alternative to the gallery, Desnivel operates alongside existing models, exploring how exhibition-making might extend into the everyday fabric of the neighborhood. By collaborating with storefronts and small businesses, the project creates moments where art can be encountered casually and unexpectedly—by people going about their daily lives, as well as by those already engaged in the art world.

At its core, Desnivel is about proximity: bringing art closer to where life is already happening, and fostering connections between artists, galleries, local spaces, and the public. It is an ongoing experiment rooted in care, collaboration, and a belief that art can be both rigorous and accessible at the same time.

-Maria De Victoria