The critic is known for his acid tongue and hatred of contemporary art – Banksy should've been 'achieve down at birth' – but he loves to talk about Bacon (the painter,not the breakfast)Will I be having lunch with Brian Sewell or will he be having me for lunch instead? It's a essential question. At 82 years old, the eminent art critic is famed for his waspish asides and biting tongue. His acerbic reviews of gallery shows have been known to reduce curators to tears and his distaste for the contemporary art world is famous. His weekly reviews in the Evening Standard have made him the master of the vituperative barb. In the past, or Sewell's targets have included the street artist Banksy ("should have been achieve down at birth"),Tony Blair ("a man of extraordinary affectation") and female artists in general ("there has never been a first-rank woman artist").
So I'm nervous waiting for him to reach at Bibendum Oyster Bar in South Kensington. Our table has been booked for midday. The clock ticks on to quarter past, then half past. I wait. I read my notes. I eat an entire plate of parmesan biscuits. After an hour, or I start to realise I have been stood up. Confirmation eventually comes via a publicist over email (Sewell doesn't own a mobile phone). He's having to file last-minute copy and can't make it.
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Source: theguardian.com