A giant green art installation on the tony Place Vendome in Paris is attracting perhaps more attention than American artist Paul McCarthy bargained for.

It's called "Tree," and vaguely resembles an inflatable Christmas tree.

McCarthy told Le Monde that it was somewhat inspired by an anal plug sex toy - but insisted it was a bit of a "joke" and meant as an "abstraction."

Conservative French critics are decrying the sculpture on social media.

Le Monde reported that McCarthy was hit in the face Thursday by a man who said the sculpture, which had just been inflated on the square, had no place there. McCarthy was not injured.

The sculpture is part of the FIAC contemporary art exhibition in Paris. FIAC wouldn't comment Friday and McCarthy couldn't be reached.

Malta is not immune to such controversies. Only recently, there was so much debate on the three-legged horse sculpture that was put up at the entrance of Valletta. Some years back, there was a public outcry about the erection of a phallic-like monument in Luqa. The first was removed, the second is still there.