内容摘要："If you refuse, we will escort you from your home - if necessary by force - along with the police," the authorities said.

"If you refuse, we will escort you from your home - if necessary by force - along with the police," the authorities said.

The Hepworth Wakefield wants to buy Sculpture With Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue And Red, created in the 1940s, in order for it to go on permanent public display.The oval-shaped piece, which sold for more than £3.5m in 2024, was later given a

preventing it from leaving the country - providing a UK gallery the chance to acquire it.The Art Fund charity has offered £750,000 towards the cost, however a further £2.9m is required before a 27 August deadline.If the target was not met, the sculpture by the Wakefield-born artist would go to a private buyer and be taken overseas.

The appeal is backed by artists and creatives including Sir Antony Gormley, Anish Kapoor, Jonathan Anderson, Richard Deacon, Katy Hessel, Veronica Ryan, Joanna Scanlan and Dame Rachel Whiteread.The piece is one of only a handful of wooden carvings made by the artist during the 1940s, when she lived in St Ives, Cornwall, with her young family.

If bought, the Hepworth said it would be a "star piece" in its collection.

The gallery also planned to lend it to other museums and galleries across the UK, "opening up access for people everywhere".Ms Harris said Lisa Made It had been "the perfect match" for their vision.

"We were really looking for an artist that reflected something that was very Jericho-y - that lovely combination of the canal, Port Meadow, the small houses, and that village within a big city."We had members of the community coming into our reception and saying how much they love it.

"They really feel [the mural] has become a big part of Jericho now."She added that community organisations had also expressed interest to do work with the school.