Canterbury artist Sam Mahon unveiled his latest sculpture, a very large statue of Environment Minister Nick Smith squatting over a drinking glass, on the footpath outside of Environment Canterbury's Christchurch headquarters. (Video first published in September 2017)

A last-ditch attempt to block a sculpture depicting Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith squatting and pants-less from being displayed in front of a regional council's office failed to stop it from drawing a crowd.

Environment Canterbury (ECan) sought an interim-injunction late on Friday to stop the sculpture's creator, artist and activist Sam Mahon, from putting his latest work on a reserve in front of the council's headquarters in Tuam St, Christchurch.

The interim injunction was granted, but the sculpture was instead placed metres away on a public footpath, its backside aimed squarely at the building.

DAVID WALKER/STUFF A scale model of the sculpture.

It took at least seven people to carry the sculpture, which is 2.2 times' life size, across a busy road on Monday morning.

READ MORE: ECan rejects 'offensive' statue of Environment Minister Nick Smith squatting

ECan sought an injunction after learning about Mahon's plan the day before. A staff member had spoken to Mahon asking him not to deliver it, a request Mahon refused.

DAVID WALKER/STUFF Sam Mahon's latest artwork depicts Dr Nick Smith squatting over a drinking glass.

Law firm Wynn Williams, on ECan's behalf, argued the sculpture may be a violation of the Reserves Act, the Crimes Act, and even the Electoral Act, as it could be deemed an electoral advertisement.

ECan councillor Elizabeth Cunningham, a member of Ngai Tahu, told the court the sculpture was offensive, given the reserve contained boulders that had been blessed by the iwi.

The court granted the interim injunction, but it proved irrelevant: Mahon placed it on an adjacent public footpath as a large crowd watched, some posing for photos with the minister's backside.

Mahon has been a long-time critic of freshwater management in Canterbury, particularly the Government's decision to sack the elected council in 2009.

The fact his daughter could not swim in some of the region's rivers like he once did was particularly grating.

"ECan was Nick Smith's gift to the dairy industry about seven years ago," he said.

DON SCOTT/ STUFF Sam Mahon with his bust of Nick Smith made of cow dung in 2009.

"He effectively took away our voice. We thought it was a fitting place to unveil the sculpture . . . By doing this huge thing here, it gets attention, it gets the message across, and people hopefully have a laugh at the same time."

Mahon last depicted Smith in 2009, with a sculpture of his head made out of cow faeces. At the time, Mahon met Smith, who told him there was nothing Mahon could do to offend him.

"I took that as a challenge," Mahon said.

The council's injunction had just drawn attention to his sculpture, and it would have done better just to ignore him, Mahon said.

He did not believe the sculpture was offensive and, as an artist, his sculpture was his voice, which should not be constrained.

"I think [Smith] has become my muse," Mahon said.

"The scary thing is, when I left art school, I figured I'd be painting Madonnas, and I end up sculpting his genitals . . . it's not where I wanted to be at the age of 62."

He planned to drive the sculpture to Nelson, Smith's constituency, and do "a few laps" of the market where Smith set up a caravan each week.

It would likely end up back in Canterbury at a permanent spot.

Smith said on Friday he had yet to see the sculpture, but it was "pretty crude art".

"In the business of politics a few people choose to have a go at you with that tone," he said.

"I'm far more interested in doing the hard yards that will make a difference to water quality. I choose to put huge energy, effort and passion into improving New Zealand's freshwater management and I'm proud of my record."

On Saturday, two people accosted Smith, rubbed rat poison in his face and threatened his family at the Nelson market.

He reported the incident to police.