A work of art in Flevoland, deemed blasphemous by the fundamentalist Christian party SGP, must be removed from its outdoor location and into the relative obscurity of a museum, the party has suggested.

Lucifer’s Tongue, an nine-metre high, oval sculpture by artist Ruud van de Wint, was damaged by last week’s strong winds and would be safer between four walls, the SGP said.

But more importantly, the sculpture must be moved inside because it suggests that the devil is sticking out his tongue at God, local party chairman Sjaak Simonse told broadcaster Omroep Flevoland.

‘It hurts me every time I see it,’ Simonse said of the work, which is clearly visible to passing motorists on the A6 motorway.

The sculpture, which has been sitting on the Knardijk between Lelystad and Almere since 1993, has been damaged before. In 2006 copper thieves damaged the artwork necessitating a costly restoration and in 2012 it was vandalised again.

It is currently listing to one side although there is no danger of it falling, the local authority said.

The cost of the restoration will come on top of the €200,000 already spent on the sculpture, the SGP said, suggesting the sculpture would be safer in the museum.

The provincial authorities are investigating the restoration options and said they are not planning to deprive the Knardijk of one of the region’s best-known landmarks.