Australian Teen Faces Charges for Allegedly Attaching Googly Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Sculpture
A teenager from the Land Down Under has faced legal proceedings after reportedly vandalizing a large art piece of a legendary being by applying googly eyes to it.
Amelia Vanderhorst, 19 years old, appeared remotely at the local court in South Australia on Tuesday, charged with one count of property damage.
In a statement at the time of the September incident, the local council explained that surveillance video captured a individual placing artificial eyes on the sculpture, which residents have nicknamed the “Blue Blob”.
Ms Vanderhorst made no plea and told the court she was ill, as reported by news outlets, with the judge advising her to secure a legal representative before her next court date in December.
The following day the reported event, the local mayor stated that repairs to the popular public artwork would be expensive as the adhesive eyes could not be detached without damaging the sculpture.
“This intentional vandalism to a valued community art is inappropriate and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor remarked in mid-September. “It is not harmless fun, it is costly - it is also disappointing to those members of our community who have embraced the Blue Blob.”
The mayor added the council would seek the “substantial” restoration expenses from those accountable for the vandalism.
When the sculpture was initially suggested, it drew varied responses from the local community due to its cost and appearance.
Costing A$136,000 (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; sixty-eight thousand pounds), the artwork depicts a legendary giant animal, with the creators inspired by an ancient marsupial ant-eater found in nearby caverns that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.
