A longtime house of the dead may get new life as a house for the arts. That’s the goal of Cleveland artist Erich Freeman, who purchased the historic House of Wills funeral home at 2491 East 55th Street and has begun the arduous task of renovating it.
He hopes to have the building functional by the end of the year — full restoration will take longer — to use as an arts hub with shows by underground performers. Among the initial plans on tap: hosting “The Dirty Show,” a Cleveland version of an annual erotic art show in Detroit.
“My main goal is to rebirth the phoenix,” says Freeman, known for his challenging, macabre sculptural work.
This article appears in Mar 16-22, 2011.
As a kid I dreamed of having my funeral at the House of Wills.
So this “plan” was 3-4 years ago. What happened? I drive by here everyday and often wonder about the place.