An exclusive artistic partnership with award-winning photographer Timothy White and The Hermitage Hotel has turned the grand entrance, bar and signature restaurant into a living gallery that honors both Nashville’s cultural legacy and The Hermitage Hotel’s place within that legacy.
Since opening in 1910, The Hermitage Hotel has served as a backdrop to the city’s story. From civic leaders and visiting dignitaries to music legends and global icons, the hotel has long been a gathering place where history is made.
In much the same way, Timothy White has chronicled more than four decades of cultural history. Considered one of the most important figures in contemporary photography, White has captured some of the most iconic images in Hollywood, music, fashion and advertising. His portraits are exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide, and his extensive archive stands as one of the most significant visual chronicles of modern pop culture.
“Timothy White’s portraits capture the same spirit of influence and artistry that has always lived within these walls,” said Dee Patel, managing director of The Hermitage Hotel. “Together, we’re honoring Nashville’s legacy while creating an experience that invites our guests and neighbors to see history and culture come alive in a new way.”
The collection of 22 images, exclusive to The Hermitage Hotel, marks a first-of-its-kind collaboration for the property. By integrating White’s evocative imagery into its signature restaurant, Drusie & Darr by Jean-Georges, the hotel extends its legacy as a cultural cornerstone of Music City.
“There is some relevancy to it that works in this room, the contemporary work in this classic structure,” White said. “It’s a really good balance. We went back and forth on black and white or color, but the black and white was a really good choice. It just really added a punch to this room that doesn’t take away from Jean-Georges’ presentation.”
The exhibit includes icons such as Bruce Springsteen, Miley Cyrus, Dolly Parton, Jon Bon Jovi, Shania Twain and Keith Urban, many with ties to the hotel as past guests. White says he is able to get the images he does by never having a preconceived notion of his subject, no matter how notorious.
“It’s not about what we know about them. It’s about my interaction with them,” he said. “I’m feeling people and I’m watching them. It’s getting them comfortable with me and not uncomfortable with the camera.”
The exhibition will remain on permanent display within Drusie & Darr, offering guests and visitors an intimate opportunity to experience White’s legendary body of work, a fitting tribute to a city and a hotel that continue to shape cultural history.
“The Hermitage Hotel is steeped in history and storytelling, which resonates deeply with the narratives I strive to capture in my work,” said White. “To showcase these portraits here feels like an extension of that history, a dialogue between the past and the present.”
