Copyright law is a complex area but legally if a statue is in a public place (i.e. in the street) it is not subject to copyright (it is in the public realm - like a building). However, if it is on private land (i.e Lime Street Station/Walker Art Gallery), copyright does apply and it is a matter for the landowner and the artist as to whether they wish to control access to photographers. In most cases, this is not pursued - but I was caught out at the International Garden Festival in 1984 when I published postcards of all the attractions, including the sculptures. I received two solicitors' letters demanding compensation because artists they represent had their work in view in two postcards. It was settled amicably but the point was that the Garden Festival was not a public place and there was no automatic freedom to publish views without agreement from all parties.