suspension hoisting with a forklift?

I have a marble sculpture that weighs about 2,500lbs that needs to be placed on a pedestal, which is about 3 feet high. My prepartor would like to use a forklift to lift the sculpture- rigging to the tines of the lift and suspending the sculpture below. He feels that a gantry would be too unstable of a lift and would potentially damage the protrusions of the sculpture, where as the forklift would offer a smooth hydraulic lift.

What are your thoughts on this? Does anyone have experience lifting artwork in this manner?

Thanks.

Hi Sip,

There are several factors that will impact the choice of a forklift over a gantry. I presume the forklift capacity is above 2,500 lbs? Also, without being able to see the piece, the pedestal and the space, it's difficult to call.