Eat for art’s sake at dinner event

Jun 27 2007 by Philip Key, Liverpool Daily Post

Lucy Byrne of the art company, Dot-art _100

IT may not be the best name for an event – Eat Art – but at least it is memorable.

This is not some esoteric piece of performance art, but a regular dinner event for Liverpool art-lovers and one artist.

The title comes from the organisation set up by Lucy Byrne, (pictured), Dot-art, which allows people to buy art over the internet.

It was also the title of a gallery she set up in Oriel Close, Water Street, now closed but which will soon re-open shortly in new location off Castle Street.

So when she came up with the idea for a regular dinner, in which art lovers could listen to a talk by one of her artists between courses, Eat Art seemed a natural title.

I went to the second such even at Liverpool’s Malmaison hotel, addressed by Liverpool-based Gillian Durnan, whose semi- abstracts based on her own nature photographs are created as acrylic prints.

Much depends, of course, on the artist talking, and happily Gillian Durnan was one person who could explain her art without confusing the listener.

The dinners are planned as regular events with specially chosen menus – I had smoked salmon, traditional Scouse (served in a dinky pot) and chocolate panacotta, all quite delicious.

It is a bright idea from Ms. Byrne, and makes art appreciation more palatable in more ways than one.