Photos by Kenneth Hayden courtesy of the 21c Hotel and Museum
Story by Joseph Alexiou
As our readers may remember, we already love the 21c Museum Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.
An oasis of Southern hospitality, contemporary art and luxury, this hotel does indeed house its own museum of 21st century artwork (which is free, as is their special video lounge) and redefines the "gay friendly space" by way of its envelope-pushing artwork—including the "16 black-and-white images of porn star–turned–sexologist Annie Sprinkle’s performance art piece Bosom Ballet." These photos are on display at Proof on Main, the hotel's swanky Italian restaurant (Italian with a decided Southern twist—the southern United States, we mean).
Not only does the hotel host the work of international artists such as Bill Viola, Tony Oursler, Andres Serrano, Yinka Shonibare and Chuck Close (among others), but is a winner of the Conde Nast Top 100 Reader's Choice Awards for hotels—getting 16th place out of 100 of the best hotels in America ain't half bad.
Big cities in Kentucky, like many other mid-country states, are more and more a destination for LGBT travelers—if you're going to be in Louisville, the 21c is clearly the choice to make. That is, if you don't mind being surrounded in beauty and luxury while you travel.
