At least three sculptures have been destroyed and others damaged by high swell at Sculpture by the Sea in Sydney's east.

High tide and huge swells crashed in to Tamarama Beach on Monday afternoon, dragging some artworks down the sand towards the ocean as sightseers watched on.

One artwork, Fair Dinkum Offshore Processing by Collingwood artist Bronek Kozka​, was destroyed.

The sculpture rested in a heap next to Sang Sug Kim's 1.4-metre tall carved marble artwork The Window of the Future, which was submerged at least six times but not washed away.