I cant sell my mothers £160,000 home because artist next door has turned his house into monstrosity tourist attraction

A son says he cant sell his mothers home to pay for her care fees due to the eyesore created by an artist next door.

John Kirby says all potential buyers have been put off the two bed semi detached house in the coastal town of Dalgety Bay in Fife, Scotland, due to the latest work of sculpture by Denis Carbonaro, that he described as nothing more than fly-tipping.

Mr Carbonaro hit the headlines previously for trying to create a sculpture park in his front and back garden starting with a wooly mammoth. 

He later created a Spanish galleon up a tree, a spider and a shrine during Covid.

But Mr Kirby, 61, says although he admired the earlier work, he claims Mr Carbonaro now uses the garden to dump all manner of items including shopping trolleys and prams under the banner of modern art.

John Kirby, 61, is trying to sell the semi-detached property but claims he is unable to due to the latest work from nextdoor artist Denis Carbonaro

The garden artwork began with sculptures in 2015 and started with a mammoth in the front garden

 Mr Carbonaro has hit back at the claims and argued his latest work at the tourist attraction  was a protest against people viewing his art projects without leaving a donation

And he said everyone viewing the house has listed what he described as a monstrosity next door as the reason for not pursuing a sale.

Mr Carbonaro hit back at the claims and argued his latest work at the tourist attraction The Bark Park was a protest against people viewing his art projects without leaving a donation.

The sculptor (above) came up with the idea when he was asked to clear up his garden

He described it as an artivist campaign titled Wows Dont Grow on Trees, Garbage and Clutter Do and says he has 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.

But Mr Kirby said the negative reaction from the public to the latest installations has had devastating consequences for his family.

He said: We need to sell mums house to pay for her care.

It has been on the market for a couple of months but only hasnt sold due to the eyesore next door.

Everyone who has viewed it has loved the house - but that has put them off moving.

Mr Kirby said the garden artwork began with sculptures in 2015 and started with a mammoth in the front garden.

 says the negative reaction from the public to the latest installations has had devastating consequences for his family

He has had nine viewings for his mothers home but claims all have cited the the eyesore created by an artist next door

The home is still on the market for just under £160k with Mr Kirbys mum living there alone since her husband died in 2011

This progressed with a spider being built in the back of the house followed by a Spanish galleon up a tree. 

During Covid he said Mr Carbonaro also created a shrine but shortly afterwards went on strike.

He said what was once a popular attraction descended into an absolute mess.

He now has stuffed scattered all across his garden. The back garden is an absolute mess, Mr Kirby added.

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.

His mum, who has not been named, was diagnosed with Alzheimers in October 2021.

In March 2023 she was put into a care home and been there ever since. But with all savings now gone they have to sell the home to pay for her care.

The home is still on the market for just under £160k with Mr Kirbys mum living there alone since her husband died in 2011.

He added: 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 dont be stupid, thats just modern art but nine years down the line she has been proven right.

Mr Carbonaro said the original idea was to turn his home into a tourist attraction and a sculpture park

After working as a sculptor in Sicily, Mr Carbonaro moved to Scotland around 25 years ago, where he worked in web design and IT for banks

Mr Kirby said he has got the council involved but was told there is nothing they can do as he can put what he wants in his front garden

His attraction is listed on Tripadvisor and until 2020 had largely positive reviews

But since then, it has attracted several negative one star ones with many using Mr Carbonaros behaviour as the reason

 Mr Kirby said he has got the council involved but was told there is nothing they can do as he can put what he wants in his front garden.

He added: They can not 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 but are put off and wont make an offer because of eyesore next door.

How can he be allowed to get away with this when its devaluing everyone elses homes?

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 dont know what more we can do. We just need to sell the house. 

My mum is 86 - she worked all her life and shouldnt 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?

The mammoth was fantastic, the spider and ship up the tree was great. But it is now just a dumping ground and hes made no effort to tidy it up.

Its an absolute monstrosity.

Mr Carbonaro hit the headlines previously for trying to create a sculpture park in his front and back garden

He later created a Spanish galleon up a tree, a spider and a shrine during Covid

Mr Carbonaro said the original idea was to turn his home into a tourist attraction and a sculpture park and spoke out previously when he unveiled the galleon, complete with rigging and mast and made out of recycled wood.

He worked as a sculptor in Sicily before coming to Scotland around 25 years ago, where he worked in web design and IT for banks.

But after suffering burn-out, he quit his job and returned to his love of art.

Responding to the allegations, he said: While I understand their concerns, I believe its important to provide some context that may have been overlooked.

In August, John, the son of my neighbor, came to my door, blaming me for their difficulty in selling the property. 

After our discussion, I sent him a series of SMS 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.

Why, after visitors repeatedly asked for a donation box during Bark Parks 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 emphasize that 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 Ive experienced from neighbors 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 its important to recognise that this isnt a one-sided issue.

The ongoing disregard for my privacy and work has deeply affected me, and my campaign reflects that.

Although he admired the earlier work, Mr Kirby claims Mr Carbonaro now uses the garden to dump all manner of items including shopping trolleys and prams under the banner of modern art

Mr Kirby (pictured above) blames the artwork next door for being unable to sell his mothers home

His attraction is listed on Tripadvisor and until 2020 had largely positive reviews. 

But since then, it has attracted several negative one star ones with many using Mr Carbonaros behaviour as the reason.

One reviewer wrote: Very real concerns regarding this place, structures errected randomly in some persons garden who goes crazy if anyone should even glance from the main road.

Another added: Honestly its an eyesore and I feel sorry for his neighbours.

Another wrote: Terrible experience. I was just a passer by with my daughter who is a kid and naturally she was impressed by the building and stopped to have a look.

Suddenly the man has sternly asked if we have made a donation as otherwise we are not to look.

I have considered donation but having been approached this way not only I will avoid this place in the future but will discourage others from going.

Speaking back in 2017 Mr Carbonaro said he was thankful to his next-door neighbours for all of the support.

He said: I have two neighbours on either side of my house and the council own some land at the end of my garden.

I have never had any complaints since starting the sculptures and I am very thankful to my neighbours for that.

If they had complained back at the start, none of this would ever have happened, so I thank them.