Liverpool's Super Lambanana 'may move to Manchester'

The original Super Lambanana was created in 1998 and was repainted in 2016

Liverpool's much-loved Super Lambanana sculpture could move to Manchester if a new site is not found for it in the city, its creator Taro Chiezo has said.

The deterioration of the yellow statue, which has become part of Liverpool's cultural identity, caused a row between the city council and the artist.

On Sunday, the council replaced it with a more durable replica.

Taro Chiezo said as a result, he was considering moving the original to "a new location outside of Liverpool".

A council spokesman said the authority was in a "win-win situation".

"We've got a new Super Lambanana that we have more control over, and he's free to do what he wishes with the old one."

A replacement Super Lambanana was installed on Sunday

The 17ft (5m) high piece on Tithebarn Street, which was created in 1998 as a commentary on genetic engineering, has become a symbol of the city.

However, its condition has deteriorated in recent years and the council's repainting of it in 2016 failed to fix its problems, leading to it being replaced.

Taro Chiezo said the new piece was "not a sculpture [but] a replica of sculpture".

"This is same as Michelangelo's David. The real David stands inside Academia Gallery in Florence, but there are three Davids [with] two replicas at Piazza della Signoria and Piazzale Michelangelo.

"Liverpool can be like Florence because there are already hundreds of small-scale replicas in the city.

"If Liverpool City Council agreed, we will find a new site for my original sculpture in Liverpool [but] if the council does not want it, then I should find a new location outside of Liverpool.

"It can be Manchester or it can be outside of the UK."

A council spokesman said the authority was "happy with where we are [as] we've got a new one in place and it looks great".

"The difference [between them] is this belongs to the city, it's ours - if we want to repaint it or do different things with it, then we can do that."