The Queenstown Lakes District Council community and services committee yesterday approved the installation of artist Trevor Askin's The Good Book sculpture, selected by the Queenstown Lakes Arts and Cultural Trust.
The council's arts and events relationship manager Jan Maxwell told the committee yesterday the trust received an annual $50,000 grant to invest in public art for the district.
"This piece was a piece that the trust really liked and felt like Queenstown Gardens would be an appropriate place.
Mrs Maxwell said she had spoken to the Friends of the Gardens to get the organisation's view on the sculpture.
"There are some personal opinions there, but they've made it clear they are personal opinions - as with any artwork, people like them and they don't.
The sculpture would be installed with a concrete base, to be covered with turf grass, which would make the piece look as if it was on the grass, and make it easier to maintain.
A location had yet to be confirmed for the sculpture, which could be moved.
Cr Val Miller sought it not be located under a tree to minimise the need to clean off bird droppings.
One option was by a pond where another sculpture is planned.
Last May, the committee agreed on Richard Wells' sculpture of a giant Labrador, to be installed in a pond in the gardens.
At that stage the work, which is to be suspended above the water, was to have been installed by Christmas.
Last week, Mrs Maxwell said that sculpture, which cost $78,000, was likely to be installed about November this year.
