Wedgewood Houston’s Newest Art Gallery is in a Must-See Historic Mansion
Written by Zoe YARBOROUGH
If you’ve driven by Wedgewood Houston’s Merritt Mansion before, it’s impossible not to wonder about the estate’s past. Like a kid on her bike pedaling past the neighborhood “haunted” house, I’ve spent many a drive-by wondering: What is up with the old house at 441 Humphreys Street? Now, I know. And you can visit it, too! The first iteration of the estate’s new life is open through September: a mystical art gallery by tastemaker and curator Clarence Edward.
"Since 2015, when we acquired the May Hosiery Mills Campus, our goal has always been to celebrate community and amplify the existing arts culture within Wedgewood Houston. Our vision for Merritt Mansion is to do just that — to shine a spotlight on Nashville’s roots and important voices by opening the historic property to the public. Clarence Edward is an excellent partner who helped keep our vision alive," says Brandon Johnson, AJ Capital
The first to activate in the historic site is Clarence Edward, an art gallerist, set designer, and avant-garde event curator who partners with visual artists, small businesses, and real estate development companies to curate temporary art exhibitions and immersive brand marketing activations. For the past year, Clarence has operated cëcret by cë Gallery, a contemporary and fine arts gallery on Wedgewood Houston's Houston Street that just won “Best Art Gallery” in Nashville Scene’s 2022 Best of Nashville awards.
Brandon at AJCP says that Merritt Mansion will undergo a multi-phased restoration over the next few years. “Following completion, the historic property will sit at the heart of a two-acre lawn, anchoring a new town square, which we will call ‘Wedgewood Village,’” he says.