A piece of artwork created by a 17-year-old student has been taken down at Noble’s Hospital following an official complaint.

‘War Is Not A Game’ by UCM student Iryna Semenenko initially formed part of the Sovereign Art Foundation’s ‘Student Art Exhibition’, which sees a number of different pieces currently being displayed at Noble’s.

30 finalists were shortlisted for the 2025 edition of the Sovereign Art Foundation Students Prize in September, with these pieces then due to be displayed as part of the exhibition.

However, not all of the pieces are now on display.

A spokesperson from Manx Care said: ‘Noble’s Hospital has a long history of displaying artwork along its corridors and we were pleased to support the Sovereign Art exhibition.

‘The “War Is Not A Game” piece was removed following a formal complaint submitted directly to the CEO’s office.

‘In such instances, we have a responsibility to take public concerns seriously and respond accordingly as part of our commitment to creating a thoughtful and respectful environment for all.’

The piece has been described as a ‘powerful and deeply personal expression of Iryna’s experiences’ within her home country Ukraine.

Talking about her artwork, Iryna said: ‘Every year for my birthday I used to wish for a new phone, new clothes or a lot of money, but now all I wish for is for the war in my home country, Ukraine, to end.

‘Experiencing war has been very difficult and hard for me as I had to leave all my previous life behind.

‘By painting objects that represent Ukrainian culture in traditional Ukrainian decorative style, I portrayed how I see my bright and happy childhood. But as you look into the paintings, you can find some horrific quotes that represent my thoughts and concerns about war.

‘My main aim was to make the viewers understand that we only live once and you can never predict what will happen next.’