New Source of Inspiration in the Neighborhood, DTNA

Reprinted from the original by Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association newsletter.

By Rose Linke

After working in technology for 20 years, Max Khusid was ready for a change. He wanted to be challenged, to feel the sense of new possibilities that comes from being a beginner again. There are times in life when you need a shift in perspective—what better way than through the eyes of artists?

In 2019, Khusid took a leap into the world of art, setting up a gallery website after traveling the world meeting artists whose work resonated with him. He began selling online and at art fairs, and found the work resonated with others too. With the changes in the city’s commercial real estate brought about by the pandemic, Khusid started thinking about opening a brick and mortar space.

Art House SF is not your typical gallery. For one, it’s rare for a gallery owner to be on hand to talk at length about the artists and their work. It’s not just the fact that it’s a one-man operation, it’s more that Khusid’s passion for art and enthusiasm for engaging with others is infectious.

When I visited on a recent afternoon, Khusid and I sat near the window chatting about art and philosophy, neighborhood engagement, and what it means to open a small business in a new field.

Khusid, an active citizen of the Southeastern corner of San Francisco, has found our neighborhood incredibly warm and welcoming. He notices how passersby pause to look up into the windows of his space. When he first opened, he was unsure whether or not to leave the lights on at night. Ultimately, he decided that any opportunity for people to see art, even after hours, is a good thing. Art should be for everyone.

The stretch of Market St. between Noe St. and Castro St. still has a number of empty storefronts—on last count, I spotted nine. 2324 Market is the perfect size for Khusid’s rotating exhibits of both international and local artists, and adds some much needed color and warmth to this stretch of our neighborhood. Khusid hopes the space can be an integral part of the neighborhood, and plans to offer the space to those looking to host cultural events.

Art is a universal language: from the earliest pigments on cave walls, to vast canvasses, to the ways art can permeate and challenge the many facets of everyday life. I left feeling inspired.

Art House is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11-8pm; Sunday from 11-5pm.