Kent County Council, led by the Reform party, has removed and sold Antony Gormley's early public sculpture 'Two Stones' (1979-81) from outside the Kent History and Library Centre in Maidstone. The council sold the work back to the artist himself in a private sale to raise funds, citing severe financial pressures and a need to avoid increasing costs for residents. The council's most recent accounts valued the work at £859,000, but the final sale price remains confidential.
The removal of this significant early commission represents a loss of public art and has sparked criticism from cultural leaders who warn against hollowing out shared cultural assets for short-term budgetary relief. This sale is part of a wider pattern for the council, which also recently auctioned off other works from its collection. The incident highlights the tension between local government austerity measures and the preservation of cultural heritage, raising concerns about the future of public art collections across the UK.