Young Australian Charged for Supposedly Placing Googly Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Artwork
A young person from Australia has faced legal proceedings after allegedly vandalizing a large blue sculpture of a legendary being by affixing googly eyes to it.
Amelia Vanderhorst, 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 time of the recent event, the municipal authorities said that CCTV footage captured a individual placing fake eyes on the sculpture, which locals have dubbed the “Blue Blob”.
Ms Vanderhorst made no plea and told the court she was unwell, according to news outlets, with the judge recommending her to find a legal representative before her upcoming hearing in the final month of the year.
A day after the alleged incident, the local mayor stated that restoration to the popular community sculpture would be expensive as the adhesive eyes were impossible to be detached without damaging the art piece.
“This intentional vandalism to a valued public artwork is inappropriate and disrespectful,” Mayor Lynette Martin remarked in September. “It is not harmless fun, it is pricey - it is also disappointing to those people of our society who have welcomed Cast in Blue.”
The mayor added the local government would seek the “substantial” repair costs from those accountable for the vandalism.
At the time the sculpture was first proposed, it received mixed reactions from the local community due to its cost and appearance.
Priced at A$136,000 ($89,000; £68,000), the artwork depicts a legendary giant animal, with the creators influenced by an ancient anteater-like marsupial discovered in local caves that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.
