Australian Teen Charged for Allegedly Attaching Googly Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Sculpture
A teenager from Australia has appeared in court after reportedly vandalizing a large blue sculpture of a legendary being by applying googly eyes to it.
Amelia Vanderhorst, aged 19, appeared remotely at the local court in the state of South Australia on that day, charged with a single charge of damaging property.
In a statement at the time of the recent event, the local council explained that surveillance video showed a individual putting fake eyes on the sculpture, which locals have dubbed the “Blue Blob”.
Ms Vanderhorst did not enter a plea and told the judge she was ill, according to media sources, with the judge recommending her to find a lawyer before her next court date in December.
The following day the alleged incident, the city leader stated that restoration to the popular community sculpture would be expensive as the stickers could not be detached without damaging the sculpture.
“This wilful damage to a cherished public artwork is unacceptable and disrespectful,” Mayor Lynette Martin remarked in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also frustrating to those people of our community who have embraced Cast in Blue.”
The mayor added the council would seek the “significant” restoration expenses from those responsible for the vandalism.
When the artwork was first proposed, it drew varied responses from the area residents due to its cost and design.
Priced at A$136,000 ($89,000; £68,000), the artwork represents a legendary giant animal, with the creators inspired by an prehistoric marsupial ant-eater found in nearby caverns that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.
