We don’t know how much profit the artist and their employees actually made.

How much did it cost to just deliver them? That’s a trucking company and crane, and anything that’s going to live out in public means stronger material, secure installation and longer lifespan, than a sculpture in a climate controlled museum with guards and do not touch signs.

Public art is more expensive just to build. Sometimes it also needs insuring and maintenance too. This is just mostly, “I don’t get it so I don’t like it” bullshit.