A survey by art magazine BK Informatie has resulted in a list of 100 prime examples of public art in the Netherlands but, the article points out, maintaining these sculptures, statues and paintings is not always the first priority.

Nearly 500 people sent in their votes for around 288 works of art. A jury of art experts then assembled a list of 100 top pieces, which can be found in parks, water fronts, railway stations and squares.

To make it onto the list the works had to have an ‘inpact on its surroundings, resonate and be bold,’ project leader Esther Didden told the Volkskrant.

The list is ordered chronologically and definitely not a popularity contest, Didden said, although the works that were sent in most often were John Körmeling’s Rotating House in Tilburg and Zadkine’s iconic Destroyed City in Rotterdam.

The first work on the list is a familiar one to many and may not even register as a work of art. It is the Iglo, Aldo van Eyk’s climbing frame from 1947 that can be found in public playgrounds all over the country. The list also includes such controversial works as Paul McCarthy’s Santa Claus, popularly known as ‘the gnome with the buttplug’, and video and audio art.

The market for art in public places has changed considerably, Didden said. ‘Over the 40 years of the magazine, local councils have placed 1,600 adverts asking artists to present ideas for works of art in public spaces.’ But now the financial crisis and cutbacks have meant less money is being made available, she said. A foundation especially dedicated to innovative public art was abolished in 2013.

‘If local authorities want to commission art they make a shortlist of artists. That means young artists have little chance of being chosen. We are also seeing a generation of young civil servants not used to commissioning art,’ Didden said.

The next issue of the magazine will be dedicated to the state of the works. ‘I travelled all around the country to photograph the key works on the list and some were in a pretty dire state,’ Didden said.

‘There’s not much the individual artists can do about it. The trend seems to be that the local authority abandons the work for 10 and 15 years and then declares it an eyesore that has to be removed. The indifference is shocking.’