Artist Sir Antony Gormley has opposed the installation of copies of his artwork on a Suffolk beach.
An application has been submitted to East Suffolk Council for retrospective planning permission for an installation of work designed by Sir Antony.
The collection of four pieces - usually produced for garden designers and landscape architects - was installed by local artist Caroline Wiseman who intended that they be "a genuine art installation designed for the cultural benefit of the town".
They gained national attention after locals likened them to both excrement and sex toys because of their shape.
The national media attention gained by the pieces attracted the attention of Mr Gormley whose representative has now sent an official objection to the council.
In the objection, Sir Antony's representative notes a number of issues with the sculptures.
Firstly, that they are not the original sculptures and were designed to be placed in an urban setting. A set remains in Peckham in London while another sits near the Angel of the North, Sir Antony's best known work.
The sculptures on Aldeburgh beach are part of an unlimited collection which use the Gormley works and sell them to garden designers and landscape architects.
Secondly Sir Antony, said that the pieces were displayed incorrectly; they were "designed to stand upright" rather than be buried in the shingle.
His representative said that the artist did not oppose installations but rather required consultation before this was done.
"This is not an authorised public installation of his work," said the representative's letter.
"It is a misrepresentation of four works he has designed as bollards and which should only ever be seen that context, as per the streets of Peckham, London or the grounds of the Angel of the North, Gateshead."
The final objection the artist made to the installation was the name attributed to the sculptures.
The installation in Aldeburgh erroneously has them labelled as 'Quartet, (Sleeping), 2001'. This, Sir Antony's representative said, is not the correct name for the piece at all.
Instead his representative wrote that each of the pieces had a distinct name - Oval, Peg, Penis and Snowman.
Caroline Wiseman said that the sculptures would no longer be remaining on the beach and had instead been sold.
"It's going to be sad not having them on the beach," said Ms Wiseman.
"But we have got a fabulous outcome in that they have been bought."
The money from the sale of the sculptures will now be going towards the painting of the nearby lookout tower gallery.
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