The 78-year-old artist said on Friday Crossing took about a week early this year to make.
The wooden piece was a continuation of the large outdoor architectural pieces he created, such as Cul-de-sac, exhibited at Sculpture on the Gulf' on Waiheke Island, near Auckland in 2007.
Jones submitted Crossing, named for its resemblance to an intersection rather than for any religious association, in March where it was shortlisted by curators from 12,000 entries.
They asked for the real piece to be couriered to them.
The world's largest open-submission contemporary art show, now in its 244th year, continued the tradition of showcasing work by both emerging and established artists in all media including painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, architecture and film.
The summer exhibition, held from June 4 until yesterday, included works by Michael Craig-Martin, Tracey Emin, Ken Howard, Anselm Kiefer, Raqib Shaw, Calum Innes and Keith Coventry.
Crossing was Jones' first submission to the academy, although he had visited it with his wife, artist Pat Jones, when in Europe in past years, he said.
"The majority of things are paintings. This summer exhibition has changed its attitude in the last decade.
"They have absolute star people there, then they have the also-rans like me.
"It's quite a prestigious sort of a thing."
Born in Surrey, England, in 1937, the sculptor of more than 50 years arrived in New Zealand in 1955.
His first exhibition, with four South Canterbury painters, was in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery in 1964.
Now represented in seven public collections in New Zealand and many more in private collections around the world, the grandfather of 11 said he hoped to be included in an two-yearly open air exhibition in Denmark next year.
He was also collaborating with Australian sculptor Peter Tilley on a touring exhibition of university art galleries across the Tasman in 2014.
