The family of acclaimed artist Bryan Kneale have proposed the Tynwald National Park and Arboretum as a potential new site for his latest public sculpture.

The piece, called Eelips, will stand at a height of 2.5m and was designed to pay tribute to the historic Manx standing stones,

The sculpture was originally set to be erected at a site near Niarbyl however, the move proved controversial with some residents.

The plans, unveiled earlier this year, attracted a number of complaints from people concerned about its impact on the landscape.

One critic compared the design to a ‘tissue box’, saying: ‘It is neither useful nor pretty and will ruin the view, not enhance it.

Another wrote in to Media Isle of Man to complain, saying that the sculpture ‘would be ‘lovely somewhere else, but certainly not at this location.’

The project to install the sculpture will cost just short of £100,000 which will be largely funded through a lottery grant.

Bryan’s daughter Kate Kneale said feedback had been considered as part of the latest application.

She said: ‘It was great to meet everyone that attended the public consultations earlier this year and discuss the proposal for Eelips.

‘It was lovely to hear the positive responses to my Pa's vision.

‘The choice of the National Arboretum responds to the feedback given, it is a stunning site and we are excited to be working to realise the project at this location.

‘We are also grateful for the continued support of the Isle of Man Arts Council, Culture Vannin and The Frampton Fund, who have committed to funding the production and installation of the sculpture should planning be successful.’

The project has been submitted for planning approval in the last week. Bryan will gift his time and the ownership of the sculpture to be part of the Isle of Man Arts Council Modern and Contemporary Loan Collection.

This would be his first sculpture to enter the collection and it is hoped to be installed for the public to enjoy in mid-2025, the year Bryan celebrates his 95th birthday.

Bryan was born in Douglas in 1930. He originally studied painting at Douglas School of Art in 1947, before being accepted to the illustrious RA Schools programme, He had exhibited his work at some of the UK’s most prestigious venues.

Bryan has also taught at some of the most illustrious art schools and academies in the country. He was made a Royal Academician in 1974 and was awarded an MBE in 2019 for services to British Art.

Despite spending much of his life in England his spirit has always been tied to the Isle of Man and is responsible for the iconic Three Legs of Man which stands outside Ronaldsway Airport.

At a central location on the island, the history site resonates with the concept of the work, particularly with the proximity to the nearby Ballaharra Stones.

The site for the new sculpture is maintained by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) and a DEFA team, alongside Bryan’s daughter Kate Kneale and Martyn Cain of the Isle of Man Arts Council, visited it in August to assess its viability.

If given planning permission, the new work will join another outdoor sculpture by Robert Jones on loan from the IOMAC collection to the Arboretum. The site maintenance will remain the responsibility of the site manager.

The application will be considered by the planning committee in due course.