Young Australian Faces Charges for Allegedly Placing Googly Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Artwork
A teenager from the Land Down Under has faced legal proceedings after allegedly defacing a large blue sculpture of a legendary being by affixing googly eyes to it.
The 19-year-old, 19 years old, participated remotely at the local court in the state of South Australia on Tuesday, charged with one count of property damage.
Officials commented at the moment of the September incident, the local council said that CCTV footage showed a individual placing artificial eyes on the artwork, which locals have nicknamed the “Blue Blob”.
Ms Vanderhorst did not enter a plea and informed the court she was ill, according to media sources, with the judge advising her to secure a lawyer before her next court date in the final month of the year.
A day after the reported event, the city leader said that restoration to the popular community sculpture would be costly as the stickers were impossible to be removed without damaging the art piece.
“This wilful damage to a valued community art is unacceptable and disrespectful,” Mayor Lynette Martin said in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also frustrating to those members of our community who have welcomed the Blue Blob.”
She added the council would pursue the “substantial” repair costs from those accountable for the damage.
When the sculpture was first proposed, it drew mixed reactions from the area residents due to its cost and appearance.
Priced at A$136,000 ($89,000; £68,000), the sculpture depicts a legendary giant animal, with the sculpture’s designers inspired by an prehistoric anteater-like marsupial found in local caves that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.
