A son has been left fuming as he claims he can’t sell his mum’s house to cover her care costs, all thanks to the “eyesore” next door created by an artist.
John Kirby reckons every would-be buyer has been scared off from the two-bed semi because of Denis Carbonaro’s latest sculpture shenanigans. The arty neighbour made waves before for turning his gaff into a ‘sculpture park’ with a woolly mammoth and all.
While Mr Kirby, 61, was all for the earlier stuff, he says Denis has now turned his garden into a dumping ground for everything from shopping trolleys to prams, calling it ‘modern art’. He’s gutted because viewers love his mum’s pad but they can’t see past the “monstrosity” next door.
Mr Kirby said: “We need to sell mum’s house to pay for her care. It has been on the market for a couple of months but only hasn’t sold due to the eyesore next door. Everyone who has viewed it has loved the house – but that has put them off moving. He now has stuff scattered all across his garden. The back garden is an absolute mess.”
(Image: Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS)
He added, fuming over the garden chaos: “In a matter of days he had dismantled everything and dumped shopping trolleys, prams, bread bins and other random items. He classed it as art – but in our view it is nothing more than fly-tipping.”
Mr Kirby’s mother received an Alzheimer’s diagnosis back in October 2021, and she’s been residing in a care home since March 2023. With all the family’s savings now depleted, they face selling the house to finance her ongoing care costs.
He said: “He never did my mother any harm at all, but when he started with the sculptures and the big mammoth there was concern he was devaluing the house. I said ‘don’t be stupid, that’s just modern art – but nine years down the line she has been proven right.”
Mr Kirby added: “They cannot pin anything on him so this is just dragging on and on. We have had nine viewings – all of them like the house, the size of rooms etc. – but are put off and won’t make an offer because of the eyesore next door. How can he be allowed to get away with this when it’s devaluing everyone else’s homes?
(Image: Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS)
“I tried to speak to him about it and asked him to clean up the front garden but he refused to do anything about it. I had to walk away I got so angry.
“I don’t know what more we can do. We just need to sell the house. My mum is 86 – she worked all her life and shouldn’t be in this situation. How can you be allowed to put rubbish in the front garden and class it as art and bring down the whole street?”
Artist Denis responded to the claims, arguing that his latest work at the Tourist Attraction has been misunderstood. He said: “While I understand their concerns, I believe it’s important to provide some context that may have been overlooked. In August, John, the son of my neighbour, came to my door, blaming me for their difficulty in selling the property. After our discussion, I sent him a series of messages outlining potential solutions to address both our concerns.
“As part of my long-standing campaign, ‘WOWS DON’T GROW ON TREES, GARBAGE AND CLUTTER DO!’, I have used items like trolleys and prams as symbolic representations to respond to the ongoing invasion of my privacy and the disregard for my copyright and intellectual property. Despite the significant local interest in my work, including visits from John and his friends, I have not received the necessary financial support through the donation caskets I have set up.
(Image: Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS)
“Why, after visitors repeatedly asked for a donation box during Bark Park’s first few months, did they never contribute once it was created and available by December 2015? They had only requested the donation chest but did not support it once it was provided. Regarding the accusation of ‘flytipping’, I must emphasise these items are part of a deliberate artivist campaign and hold significant meaning.
“Bark Park has been a local feature for over nine years, attracting visitors and admirers of my inventive works. The clutter John refers to is, in fact, a creative statement against the exploitation I’ve experienced from neighbours and visitors alike, who have failed to offer support despite enjoying the installations.
“While I understand their frustration over selling the property, I must stress that this issue is multifaceted. Reducing the challenge to one of ‘aesthetic’ is not entirely fair.
“In my communications with John, I made it clear that I am open to solutions, but it’s important to recognise this isn’t a one-sided issue. The ongoing disregard for my privacy and work has deeply affected me, and my campaign reflects that.”