Son 'unable to sell' mum's Scottish home to pay care fees due to 'eyesore' next door

john next to neighbour
-Credit: (Image: SWNS)


A son says he can't sell his mother's Scottish 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 due to the latest work of sculpture by Denis Carbonaro - that he described as nothing more than 'fly-tipping'.

Denis hit the headlines previously for trying to create a 'sculpture park' in his front and back garden starting with a woolly mammoth. He later created a Spanish galleon up a tree, a spider and a shrine during Covid.

READ MORE: Edinburgh eye hospital to close for 'about six months' for 'essential' works

READ MORE: RAF and USAF in high-level war games off Edinburgh coast after Putin warns NATO

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

And he said everyone viewing the house, in Fife's Dalgety Bay, has listed what he described as a 'monstrosity' next door as the reason for not pursuing a sale.

Denis 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.

He described it as an 'artivist campaign' titled "Wows Don't 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."

John's neighbour claims the mess in his garden is art.
John's neighbour claims the mess in his garden is art. -Credit:SWNS

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

He 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."

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

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 Denis also created a shrine but shortly afterwards 'went on strike'.

The neighbours' garden in Dalgety Bay, Fife.
The neighbours' garden in Dalgety Bay, Fife. -Credit:SWNS

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

He added: "He now has stuffed scattered all across his garden. The back garden is an absolute mess.

"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 Alzheimer's 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 John's mum living there alone since her husband died in 2011.

Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox

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 'don't be stupid, that's just modern art - but nine years down the line she has been proven right."

John 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 etc - but are put off and won't make an offer because of eyesore next door.

"How can he be allowed to get away with this when it's devaluing everyone else's homes?

Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.

"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?

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

"It's an absolute monstrosity."

Denis said the original idea was to turn his home in Dalgety Bay, Fife into a tourist attraction and a sculpture park and spoke out previously when he unveiled the galleon - complete with rigging and mast - 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 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 SMS messages outlining potential solutions to address both our concerns.

"As part of my long-standing campaign, 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 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 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 I've 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 it's important to recognise that this isn't a one-sided issue.

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