Bacchanalia
Sculpture Installation and Art Curation Services
SMA Design was commissioned by Caprice Holdings, owners of some of London’s most iconic restaurants, including The Ivy, Scott’s, and Sexy Fish. They sought our expertise to showcase over 64 sculptures, ranging from ancient Greek works to 19th century masterpieces, within Bacchanalia, this uniquely themed London restaurant. The project required sculpture installation and art curation services a careful balance of art curation, design, and ambiance to create an unforgettable dining experience. Some of the ancient artefacts date back nearly 2,500 years and vary widely in size, weight, and condition. These objects were carefully selected from a collection of over 100 pieces from the Chairman’s personal collection. The sculptures were thoughtfully positioned throughout Bacchanalia, including in the private members’ club section called Apollo’s Muse, and beneath five dramatic Damien Hirst mythology figures, such as a winged lion, Medusa, Bacchus, and commanding angels astride unicorns, evoking a sense of grandeur and reverence that dominates the space.
Unlike in a traditional museum or exhibition, these artefacts are not fully enclosed behind glass. While diners are not officially permitted to touch the objects, the display allows them to be experienced up close, creating an immersive sense of intimacy and connection with the collection.
With this in mind, it was paramount to determine which of the objects were in stable enough condition to be suitable for display, which required additional physical mounts for support, or which required conservation treatment.
“some of the ancient artefacts date back nearly 2,500 years“
The restaurant interior designer, MBDS, created a basic object database. Our team expanded this database to include all necessary information and revised it several times throughout the project.
Many of the objects varied in size and weight. We quickly realised that several pieces would need additional support to ensure stability.
We secured the objects using different methods. Some required steel mounts, while others benefited from a museum-grade adhesive.
The adhesive added extra security for pieces that might otherwise be unstable. It remained fully reversible and left no damage or residue.
Secure Mounting and Condition Assessment
For the steel mounts, we worked closely with our object mount makers to design solutions that were both secure and aesthetically discreet. Wherever possible, the mounts were largely invisible. Objects requiring mounts were transported by fine art handlers to the mount makers’ workshop. There, each mount was carefully designed and fabricated to fit the object securely.
While this work continued, other objects destined for more vulnerable areas required special attention. These objects were already showing signs of cracking or poor previous mounting. We recommended that the client have each object X-rayed to assess its internal condition.
For example, the two Emperor busts, the most valuable pieces on display, needed to withstand vibrations from Bacchanalia’s very loud and heavy bass sound system. The X-rays revealed several large pins holding the busts together, and movement between the bases and the main torsos. With this information, the client decided to display the busts while retaining our company to monitor them monthly.
Other objects, after being X-rayed, were either relocated or replaced with more stable pieces.
Conserve, repair, clean and, where necessary, age objects
The next step was to conserve, repair, clean, and, where necessary, age objects. Due to time constraints, much of this work was completed onsite before installation. The installation schedule was agreed upon with the client, and over a two week period, the objects were installed. Smaller objects could be lifted by a four person team, while larger marble pieces required heavy museum lifting equipment and Teflon glides. Some ancient artefacts weighed hundreds of kilos.
Each object at Bacchanalia was carefully positioned, with orientation adjusted to fit the space and human flow, followed by lighting adjustments to enhance highlights, shadows, and drama. Every member of the team pulled together under tight timelines to make Bacchanalia a truly special and aesthetically extraordinary experience. Reportedly the most expensive restaurant in the world in terms of creation and fit out, it is a venue like no other, where guests can immerse themselves in history, admire priceless artefacts, and mingle with celebrities while enjoying an exceptional meal.
Simon Morris was retained as consultant art curator, providing valuable historical context and guidance as an expert not only throughout the sculpture installation and art curation services part of the project but also continuing his role for over three years after. This ensures the ongoing care and interpretation of the objects at Bacchanalia, maintaining the immersive art and dining experience for all visitors.