Reflecting on Anais Ninn's brief for the bar on the eve of our writers week

Posted on Thu July 25, 2024.

It's an Art hotel. But is it an Art bar ? The thoughts of Anais Ninn the famous mid 19th century writer and author of an outrageously erotic personal diary that shocked society gave us some direction.

I saw a beautiful quote about writing attributed to Anais Ninn emblazoned across a 2nd hand coffee cup in a Kalk Bay bric a brac shop; "I write so that I might have a place to live". It was actually a misquote but for me it sums the  attraction of writing  up perfectly. Then more recently I came across another quote - this one specific to place;

Author and erotic diarist Anais Ninn

 

“I need a place where I can shout and weep, I have to be a Spanish savage at some time of the day. I record here the hysteria life causes in me. The overflow of an undisciplined extravagance. To hell with taste and art, with all contradictions and polishings. Here I shout, I dance, I weep, I gnash my teeth, I go mad – all by myself, in bad English, in chaos. It’ll keep me sane for the world and for art”.

Anais Ninn. Incest: From “A journal of love”. 27 October1933.

"To hell with taste and art". 

Further Reading

"Will you still need me, will you still feed me when I'm 64 ?" You bet we will. 20% off, Monday -Thursday if you were born before 1961 Mon September 1, 2025

We've chosen the Beatles 'When i'm 64 as the theme track for our 64+ incentive program. Unlike Paul McCartney who was just 16 when he wrote 64 we know a thing or two about being 64....

Read This Article
Klein Karoo weekend getaways
The Hub & Spokes of the Karoo Art Hotel

Announcing an expansive new idea. If the hotel is the hub what are the spokes that surround us ?

Read This Article
GVW of the room drops by Thu August 21, 2025

It's the one room name that befuddles people (unless they are out of the advertising industry). "What is GVW?" we are sometimes asked. "It's not a 'what' it is a 'whom'. GVW = Graham Victor Warsop, the celebrated creative director and South Advertising icon. He's a friend. When we bought the hotel he offered to do a bedroom room". Or was it the other way around ?). It's one of the 17...

Read This Article