Photo by Obi Okolo.
There’s a new spot to check out in the Union Market area. The Twelve contains three sections: a lounge area for workshops and conversations, a storefront, and a rotating art gallery. But don’t call it a store. Or a gallery. Or a lounge. The Twelve is a “year-long art/retail/gathering experiment,” according to its website, and will only be open for 12 months, says Amira El-Gawly, one of the co-creators and also the founder of Manifesta and St. Plant.
“It’s a project, not a long-term business, and there’s a difference there,” she says of The Twelve, named for the 12 friends and acquaintances with DC ties who are spearheading the project. “What if we could reimagine what it means to be part of the marketplace? To be in a storefront, but not be a profit-first venture? And what would it look like to put people first and people’s needs first and the community first?”