Australian Teen Charged for Allegedly Placing Googly Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Sculpture
A teenager from Australia has faced legal proceedings after allegedly vandalizing a large blue sculpture of a mythical creature by applying googly eyes to it.
Amelia Vanderhorst, 19 years old, appeared via phone at the local court in the state of South Australia on Tuesday, charged with one count of property damage.
In a statement at the moment of the September incident, the municipal authorities said that surveillance video captured a individual putting artificial eyes on the sculpture, which locals have dubbed the “Blue Blob”.
The accused did not enter a plea and informed the judge she was unwell, as reported by news outlets, with the magistrate advising her to secure a lawyer before her upcoming hearing in the final month of the year.
A day after the reported event, the city leader said that repairs to the popular community sculpture would be costly as the adhesive eyes could not be removed without harming the sculpture.
“This wilful damage to a cherished community art is inappropriate and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also frustrating to those people of our community who have welcomed the Blue Blob.”
The mayor said the council would pursue the “substantial” restoration expenses from those responsible for the vandalism.
At the time the sculpture was initially suggested, it drew varied responses from the area residents due to its cost and appearance.
Priced at 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; £68,000), the artwork depicts a legendary giant animal, with the sculpture’s designers influenced by an ancient marsupial ant-eater discovered in nearby caverns that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.