Australian Teen Faces Charges for Allegedly Placing Sticker Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Sculpture
A teenager from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after allegedly defacing a large blue sculpture of a mythical creature by affixing googly eyes to it.
The 19-year-old, aged 19, appeared via phone 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 municipal authorities said that CCTV footage showed a individual placing fake eyes on the sculpture, which residents have dubbed the “Blue Blob”.
The accused did not enter a plea and informed the judge she was ill, as reported by news outlets, with the judge advising her to find a legal representative before her upcoming hearing in the final month of the year.
The following day the alleged incident, the local mayor said that repairs to the popular public artwork would be costly as the adhesive eyes were impossible to be detached without damaging the sculpture.
“This intentional vandalism to a valued public artwork is inappropriate and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor remarked in mid-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.”
She added the local government would pursue the “significant” repair costs from those responsible for the vandalism.
At the time the artwork was initially suggested, it received mixed reactions from the area residents due to its price tag and appearance.
Priced at A$136,000 ($89,000; £68,000), the sculpture depicts a legendary giant animal, with the sculpture’s designers influenced by an ancient anteater-like marsupial found in local caves that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.