Horse manure sculpture of Environment Minister Nick Smith moves to Nelson

The cheeky horse poo sculpture of Nick Smith has moved to the Environment Minister's home town of Nelson - and been parked up next to his campaign caravan.

Artist Sam Mahon unveiled the sculpture, which depicts Smith with his pants down squatting over a glass, outside Environment Canterbury (ECan)'s Christchurch offices this week.

The sculpture, made from horse manure, is a visual protest against the Government's treatment of the water quality issue.

An injunction stopped Mahon delivering the art work to ECan last week, so he put it on the footpath.

He later said he would take the statue to Nelson, and it was spotted next to Smith's caravan in a parking area near the Saturday market.

A man who posted the photo to Reddit wrote that Smith had not come out of his caravan, but opinion from the public was divided.

"Lots of people laughing, lots of people really pissed off. Pretty divisive, really interesting to watch people's reactions."

Nick Smith reportedly remained in his campaign caravan after the sculpture was parked next to it in Nelson today. Photo / JellyTip

Mahon could not be reached this afternoon but Smith said suggestions he had been sitting in his caravan were nonsense.

Smith said he had been discussing a "sensitive issue" with a constituent when the statue arrived and they both agreed to exit the market.

"Given the tone of the abuse and the rat poison [protest incident] last week, I just thought it was the prudent thing to do."

Smith earlier said he wasn't bothered by the statue.

"It is a bit crass, and there are far smarter ways of people expressing themselves without being offensive ...I am far more interested in doing the hard policy yards that will actually improve management of freshwater on which we are making good progress."

It's not the first time Mahon has targetted the longtime minister.

In 2009, his sculpture of Smith made out of cow dung - described by Smith as being "crap art" - fetched $3000 on Trade Me.

Artist Sam Mahon with his giant sculpture of Environment Minister Nick Smith. Photo / Supplied via Facebook

Smith was also the target of protest late last month, alleging a couple rubbed rat poison over his face and clothes at the Nelson market, as well as threatening his family.

Police were notified.

The MP had welcomed a drop of poison bait at the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary, near Nelson, the day before.

The drop was to kill predators and protect native birdlife but some locals are opposed.