The five best places to feast your eyes

Maggi Hambling
Monday 18 August 2008 07:51 EDT
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Sketch, London W1

Downstairs is the most experimental area, with panoramic screens magnifying images that are combined with a pulsating soundtrack by day and diners' chatter by night.

Lucio's, Sydney

Has around 500 art works by Australia's leading artists, including sketches on paper or napkins by Sidney Nolan and Charles Blackman.

Rivington Grill, London EC2

A shrine to YBA. Tracey Emin's neon Life Without You Never is soon to join works by Gillian Wearing and Peter Doig. The Leader Board, which rates the local galleries and their shows, is also worth noting.

Four Seasons, New York

An interesting mix of display and selling pieces. The most legendary display piece is the Picasso tapestry, Le Tricorne. There was uproar when there was talk of it going in 2005. In the lobby there are four paintings by the American Nancy Hull Kearing, which are for sale.

La Colombe d'Or, Provence

With frescoes by Léger and Braque, paintings by Miro and Picasso, and a mobile by Calder, this a treasure trove. New work features too, such as a huge ceramic by Sean Scully.

My paintings at The Ivy

My work is in the Tate, the British Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Gallery and others, but it's the first time I've had work in a restaurant. So it's a new and exciting experience for me, as it is a space where you go to eat rather than look at art.

The fact that the portraits are of George Melly is particularly poignant for me. George was one of my closest friends, so it is appropriate that two of my paintings of him are in The Ivy because that's where we often had dinner together. Since he died last July, I have undertaken a series of paintings of him, because if you are close to someone, they carry on being alive inside you.

I like the unexpected setting of a restaurant for art. You go to The Ivy to eat, so the art is a surprise. And if you're sitting beside great art, eating great food and drinking great wine, it is a voluptuous experience, and makes for a great evening.

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