A COUNCIL tenant has been told to remove moss artwork from the outside of his home because he doesn’t have permission.
Artist Stefan Cinavas arranges moss within wooden frames and attaches them to his one-bedroom tenement flat in Aberdeen.
But the 54-year-old has fallen foul of the city council despite his pleas that the creations help brighten up the Torry area of the city.
Stefan’s works include an Aberdeen F.C. badge, a moss sun, Elsa from the Frozen movie and a ‘Fearless Tiger’ in homage to Leicester City’s incredible title-winning season last year.
He said: “I’m just gobsmacked at the decision to be honest, I’m doing nothing wrong.
“I got a card through the door about being £150 behind on my rent and then a woman from the council showed up to discuss it.
“When she was leaving she pointed to the art and said it’ll have to come down. I don’t understand because I’d be allowed a burglar alarm on the wall.”
He continued: “I was given no reason but I think it’s nice to look at. Even the local shop has offered me space of their wall to display it so if it was that bad, then why would they do that?
“What am I doing wrong? People’s heads turn when they’re passing on the bus and I can see them smiling at the work.
“When I took my work to Shetland, one of the shops there was actually keen on selling it so it can’t be that bad.”
An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman said: “In accordance with Aberdeen City Council’s tenancy agreement, items should not be fixed to the external walls of Council property without seeking consent from the local authority and any other private property owners within the building.
“In this case, the tenant has not sought permission before fixing items to a building he does not own and therefore has been instructed to remove them.”
