Gary Hughes says he chipped one of Dunedin's Harbour Mouth molars because he was angry the council spent money on them.

A Dunedin man has filmed himself chipping a controversial sculpture and then posted it on Facebook.

Gary Hughes broke off a chunk of Oamaru stone from one of Dunedin's Harbour Mouth molars and posted the video on Sunday.

"Have you ever chipped a tooth, well I'm going to chip one now," Hughes said on the video.

Hamish McNeilly/Stufff A visible chip on Dunedin's Harbour Mouth Molars, after a man filmed himself chipping the sculpture.

He then walks over to one of the molars, kicks a parked Lime scooter over, and breaks a chunk off the stone.

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He did it because he was angry the council spent "$45,000 of our money" on the sculpture, he said in the video.

Hamish McNeilly Dunedin's Harbour Mouth Molars have been chipped and the video uploaded to Facebook.

"I don't think they have any aesthetic value. As civic art they are f...ing trash."

Hughes urged the Dunedin City Council to remove the sculpture and "pull out these teeth".

Wellington artist Regan Gentry, who created the sculpture, said he was not aware of the video when Stuff contacted him on Monday.

His message to Hughes was: "Get some help".

Gentry said despite the vandalism, it was good to "see seem them back in the media".

"It has been a while," he said.

Hughes, a self-confessed rock collector, said he may put the piece of rock in the cabinet at home, before issuing an online challenge.

If the video got a certain number of likes he would "try an old science experiment" which involved using acid to dissolve one of the teeth.

His post was widely dismissed on social media.

"It's not your property so don't touch it," one person said. "Why can't we all just have mutual respect for each other and each others belongings," another person posted.

Dunedin Councillor Lee Vandervis, who saw the public post, reported it to the council's chief executive.

Hughes has been approached for comment.

A police spokesman said police were aware of the incident.