Australian Teen Charged for Allegedly Placing Googly Eyes on ‘Blue Blob’ Sculpture
A young person from the Land Down Under has faced legal proceedings after allegedly defacing a large blue sculpture of a legendary being by affixing plastic eyes to it.
The 19-year-old, 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 moment of the recent event, the municipal authorities explained that surveillance video captured a person placing artificial eyes on the sculpture, which residents have dubbed the “Cast in Blue”.
Ms Vanderhorst made no plea and told the court she was unwell, as reported by news outlets, with the judge advising her to find a legal representative before her next court date in the final month of the year.
A day after the alleged incident, the local mayor said that repairs to the popular community sculpture would be expensive as the adhesive eyes were impossible to be removed without harming the sculpture.
“This wilful damage to a valued public artwork is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor remarked in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also disappointing to those people of our community who have embraced the Blue Blob.”
She said the local government would pursue the “significant” repair costs from those accountable for the vandalism.
At the time the sculpture was initially suggested, it drew mixed reactions from the area residents due to its cost and appearance.
Costing A$136,000 (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; £68,000), the artwork represents a legendary giant animal, with the creators influenced by an ancient marsupial ant-eater discovered in nearby caverns that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.
