A Feast for the Eyes: Inspiring wall art in Indian restaurants

Art is being added in some Indian restaurants art as an additional attraction to bring people across the threshold.

“Art makes a room. It is part of the culture of the place. As much as the food makes a statement about the restaurant, so does art.” Raymond Blanc. 

Henna Girl: Suzie Devey's iconic wall painting in the Sheesh Mahal

Art and food are inextricably linked: whilst food provides nourishment, a source of pleasure and sustenance for the body and mind, art provides nourishment for the soul. A stunning interior, painting or photograph on which diners can feast their eyes, not only enhances the décor, it adds interest, creates a talking point, defines the ambiance and renders it unique.  

For some years now, restaurants such as The Ivy and Le Gavroche have been showcasing paintings to popular acclaim. Now, Indian restaurateurs have also recognised the value of featuring original art to create exciting and beautiful spaces. 

Whether the interpretation portrays the exotic, the tribal, atmospheric or romantic vistas of far-away lands, a renaissance is underway. Thanks to the vision of enlightened owners and managers, restaurants are fast becoming the art galleries of the modern world. Let's take a look at some that are leading the way:

Sheesh Mahal, Hartlepool

A stamp inspired the wonderful paintings of artist Suzie Devey which now adorn the walls of the Sheesh Mahal restaurant in Seaton Carew, Hartlepool.

Suzie explains: “The restaurant owner, Shahrouf Miah, wanted one painting of the Taj Mahal, on the wall. I collected postage stamps as a little girl and I remembered one stamp which featured the Taj Mahal. I researched other stamps and presented the idea of enlarging the stamps from over 2cm square to over 8 feet! They liked the idea so much they wanted me to create the design around the entire walls of the restaurant.” 

Suzie then worked with the owners’ whole family to create the large-scale henna designs. “They were a wonderful family to work with,” remembers Suzie. “The dancers were the owner’s daughters’ idea as they wanted to have a contemporary twist to their space which reflected their love of Bollywood films. The girl behind the bar was created to tie the design together.”

It took about 100 hours to create the paintings which now also include a temple in Kolkata, a Bengali tiger, Bollywood dancing and a tea picker in India. The result is a vibrant, contemporary and inspiring space that draws on the contemporary as well as the traditional.

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The Miah family was so thrilled with the results they held a relaunch of the restaurant just to showcase the artwork. “We are over the moon with Suzie’s work,” said Samia Begum, daughter of Shahrouf Miah. “The customers are really happy with it and it has made the restaurant look really homely.”

For Suzie, playing with scale and proportion and creating new ideas are the most enjoyable aspects of art. “My ethos is that paintings are for people, not just walls!” she says.

Malvern Tilla, Malvern

Atmospheric panoramic work of Jan Sedlacek

Set in the moody Malvern Hills, the Malvern Tilla Indian restaurant provides a showcase for the large format panoramic work of celebrated fine art, commercial and landscape photographer, Jan Sedlacek.

After moving from the Czech Republic to the UK, Jan was so captivated by the beautiful landscapes of Herefordshire and Worcestershire, he decided to settle in Malvern, where he formed his company digitlight.co.uk. Now his art is celebrated across the world.

Locally, Jan’s work can be seen in diverse settings ranging from Worcestershire businesses, hotels and several Indian restaurants. In the Malvern Tilla, Jan’s images provide a dramatic backdrop with their depiction of the surrounding landscape. Balanced between photography and painting, full of unusual light, they bring the untamed outdoors indoors, lead the eye and create an atmosphere of mystery.  

Memsaab, Nottingham

These quirky paintings, found in Memsaab Indian restaurant in Nottingham, provide a talking point for customers according to the restaurant’s co-owner Amita Sawnhey.  Created by an Indian artist, the works depict a range of colourful, characters: bejewelled maharajahs, fierce Sikhs and bearded warriors, adding an idiosyncratic touch of humour to the décor.

Cutler’s Spice, Sheffield

Sheffield-based artist Brian Smith had a fine time creating the mural commissioned by Allam Shah Ullah, executive chef and director of popular Cutler’s Spice Indian restaurant in Sheffield.

The brief was pilgrims doing their ablutions by the Ganges in the ancient city of Varanasi. “It turned out to be a complex composition,” explains Brian. “As far as the architecture is concerned, the client wanted a representation of the general vernacular rather than anything specific, so the mural had a design element to it which I always enjoy.”

Rendering the painting in a mixture of emulsion and acrylic paints, Brian says he used everything from paint rollers to fine brushes.

“It was very like painting oils on canvas and gave me a free rein,” commented Brian who believes the mural is one of the most exciting artistic forms. Cutler’s Spice owner, Allam Shah Ullah is equally delighted with the result. His restaurant is now not only famous for the fine food and atmosphere; it’s also remembered for its magnificent painting.

The Eastern Eye, Bath

The Eastern Eye restaurant in Bath presents a relatively modest exterior so visitors may be forgiven for doing a double take upon entering. Set in a grand, vaulted Georgian ballroom, overlooked by three glass domes, the restaurant’s most awe-inspiring feature are the massive hand painted Indian murals that line the restaurant’s three main walls. In an explosion of rich, vibrant colours, they portray scenes in a Moghul Palace with dancers, musicians and worshippers, creating a lavish and opulent atmosphere beloved by celebrities.

The Eastern Eye has been run by Mr Abdul Choudhury and his family since 1984 (in its present location from 1997). The paintings have a more recent provenance than the building’s history suggests and are the work of award-winning international artist, Apulpan Ditt, who befriended Mr Choudhury in Dubai in 2004. Mr Choudhury invited Mr Ditt to revamp the interior of his restaurant in the UK. The 42-year-old artist worked through the night for two months, to spectacular effect. “I was so pleased with the finished product,” said Mr Choudhury. “I asked my customers what they thought and everybody says it is out of this world. These paintings have changed the way people see the restaurant. They give it a truly unique aesthetic appeal.”

Raunka Punjab Divan, Southall

With a name that means ‘Glimpses of Punjab’, the Raunka Punjab Diyan in Southall offers more than a fleeting view of India. The whole interior is an artistic recreation of a rural Punjabi village, an impression further enhanced by colourful ethnic furnishings and staff dressed in traditional costumes. Restaurateur and owner Rajen Wadheran was inspired to develop the concept after previous success running themed venues. He commissioned an artist from India to paint a mural of golden, sun-warmed landscapes with villagers plying their daily tasks; fetching water, spinning or cooking.  

Another wall depicts an old-style tractor, complete with passengers and 3D effects. There are authentic Indian cooking pots and artefacts dotted around and there’s even a vintage Enfield motorbike on display. Diners love the ambiance, especially those who hail from the thriving Seikh community in Southall, many of whom describe Raunka Punjab Diyan as a home from home.

Cinnamon Kitchen, London

The collection of photographs in Cinnamon Kitchen was originally commissioned for sister restaurant the Cinnamon Club and there is more to them than meets the eye. “The idea behind the collection is tradition meets modern,” says marketing manager Helen Geach. “You will notice that a lot of the images are of very traditional Indian street scenes, however if you look closer you will see that the subject is holding a modern piece of technology such as a phone or mac book. Or perhaps they are reading a Top Gear magazine or Financial Times, or wearing shades.”

Masala Zone, London

Masala Zone, Soho

Already known for setting the standards for informal, imaginative restaurant design, the Masala Zone Restaurant Group pioneers Indian art by bringing permanent exhibitions to the UK. The Group has the whole gamut of Indian tribal and folk art in their restaurants across London. The Islington, and Soho branches lead the way, commissioning traditional tribal artists from different regions who actually painted the artwork on the walls. Bayswater has vibrant and exotic pop art blow-ups of firecracker labels from Sivakasi in South India done as a collage. Islington Masala Zone features brightly coloured murals by two painters from Gond, a forested area of Madhya Pradesh. A sister restaurant in Earls Court is covered with breath-taking, large canvases of Madhubani traditional folk art – a style of geometric painting with fingers and twigs from Bihar village in eastern India. The story, with modern resonance, tells of a tiger who wished to move to London aided by a migratory bird.

Masala Zone, Bayswater

So, whether restaurateurs are commissioning the work of local artists and photographers, or introducing the British public to aspects of Indian art and culture, restaurants offer a blank canvas with the possibility to inspire and enhance the dining experience. In a unique bonding of culture and food that appeals to all the diners’ senses as well as their palates, beautiful artwork provides food for the mind.

“I like the unexpected setting of a restaurant for art. 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.” Artist Maggi Hambling.