For many, seven is a sacred number. For Francis Gallery founder Rosa Park, it took a “seven-year circle” to complete her most personal project to date: a gallery in her former family home, Casa Francis.
Unlike its more formal counterparts in Los Angeles and Bath, England, Casa Francis will present a rotating collection of artwork and home objects, crafted with this particular domestic space in mind. In the Spanish Colonial residence Park lived in for three years, photography is showcased alongside silk floor cushions and ceramics line the kitchen in the inaugural showing, “Have You Eaten Today?”
The exhibition sees nine Korean and LA-based artists interpreting themes of care and sustenance. Growing up, “Have you eaten today?” was a question posed often in Park’s family, a Korean turn of phrase that essentially asks, “How are you?” “It felt so right—inviting people into a home, offering nourishment, asking how they’re doing,” Park says of the show’s central concern.
Starting May 15, guests are invited, by appointment only, to tour the residence for an hour. At every turn, Park has established that this is a different kind of viewing experience. She is welcoming you into her home, after all, where she raised children and grew her business. Perhaps that's why at Casa Francis, guests must adhere to a strict “no social media” policy. The experience isn’t about feeding the grid but sustaining the spirit.
With that ethos in mind, Park called up CULTURED in the days leading up to her new experiment's unveiling to discuss creating an intentionally approachable and distinctly offline space for art to live in.
CULTURED: Why did now feel like the right time to launch something new?
Rosa Park: It wasn’t so much about launching in 2025—it was more about how long it took me to actually bring this to life. I hate rushing. The seed for what is now Casa Francis was planted a while ago—about three years ago. A friend recently said something that felt really apt: “It appears to me that you’re completing a seven-year circle.”
The first Francis show took place in London in 2018. So now we’re seven years into Francis Gallery. The whole reason I wanted to start a gallery back then was to share how I live with my art. It sounds simple, and it is. I just wanted to share the kind of art I’m personally drawn to and would buy for myself. That’s always been the litmus test.
This house was my home for three years in LA. At first, I thought maybe I could open up the upstairs for a salon-style show. But it kept growing until I realized, I’m going to move out and convert it fully into an exhibition space. That’s why it took so long—it went through many iterations. Here are artists and artworks that I absolutely love. I personally own something from every one of my artists. And this house isn’t just any residence. It’s my family home. I raised my son here from when he was six months old. He’s almost four now.
It just feels like every box I wanted to tick has been ticked. And why now? Because this is how long it took me to get it done. Some might say, “Rosa, maybe this isn’t a great time to start something new.” I read the news every day. But this is what’s happening. It’s the right time because this is how long it took.
CULTURED: There’s a long tradition of apartment galleries and DIY upstarts embedded into existing architecture. This feels different, more settled, intimate, and built out—like a real home. How do you see it fitting into that in-between space?
Park: When you're starting something new, you often ask yourself, What category does this fall into? I usually find that I don’t fall neatly into any category. I roam in-between. Maybe that’s where I feel most comfortable, because of my life and background. These days no one’s reinventing the wheel. It’s all iterations of the same ideas, but with different perspectives. I love scrappy apartment-style galleries. And on the other end, you’ve got grand, elegant home galleries. I see myself somewhere in the middle.
It’s not meant to be super refined or elegant. It’s meant to be approachable—not because it’s DIY, but because I’m always trying to build a bridge. It’s like saying, “Come over.” Whether it was a commercial gallery or a pop-up space, that’s always been the tone. And now, come over to my former house. I didn’t change much—just repainted a few rooms. And the difference? I lived in this space for three years before turning it into a gallery. That’s rare. I know the light, the flow of people, the sightlines. Installing the show was fast because I knew exactly where everything should go.
CULTURED: Did you get any funny responses when you told artists, “Hey, come share art in my home that I lived in for three years. I already know which room it’ll go in”?
Rosa: That’s exactly how I reached out to them. I’d send a photo and say, “This is your room. I need this many works.” Most of them I’d already worked with, so we had a great rapport. It came together easily. Each artist has a room or hallway. And for the first time, I invited them to create functional objects—things like mugs, plates, fireplace screens. I joked with my team that we should do a weekend where people can sleep here and use all the objects.
CULTURED: How did the “no social media” come about?
Park: It came from a place of respect. I never take photos in someone’s space without asking. There’s so much content culture in LA. I’m not criticizing it—it’s just not what I do. This show is the culmination of seven years of work. And part of that is about slowing down, experiencing things for real. It’s by appointment only. You get an hour. Sit down. We’ll serve tea and biscuits. Read. Don’t post. Just be here. I miss going somewhere and thinking, I haven’t seen this anywhere else.
CULTURED: We’re so used to people having phones out, you really feel their absence.
Rosa: Exactly. I’m not denying the value of social media. But some things can’t be replicated online. This is my way of saying, “If you want to see it, come.”
CULTURED: How do you hope Casa Francis grows?
Park: To be honest, I don’t know. And that’s okay. This past year taught me that life is experimental. After the opening show—which we had to do because you only open a space once—there’s no formal program. It’ll be a rotating selection from our roster. Unlike our other galleries, which are planned years in advance, this is casual and responsive. I want to see how that feels. It’s an experiment. I don’t know what’s going to happen, and I’m fine with that.
