Young Australian Faces Charges for Supposedly Placing Googly Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Artwork
A teenager from Australia has faced legal proceedings after allegedly vandalizing a large art piece of a mythical creature by affixing googly eyes to it.
The 19-year-old, 19 years old, appeared via phone at the local court in the state of South Australia on Tuesday, facing with one count of property damage.
Officials commented at the time of the recent event, the local council said that surveillance video showed a person putting artificial eyes on the artwork, which residents have dubbed the “Blue Blob”.
The accused made no plea and told the judge she was unwell, according to news outlets, with the judge advising her to find a legal representative before her next court date in the final month of the year.
The following day the alleged incident, the local mayor stated that restoration to the much-loved public artwork would be costly as the adhesive eyes could not be detached without harming the art piece.
“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 frustrating to those members of our community who have welcomed Cast in Blue.”
The mayor added the council would seek the “substantial” restoration expenses from those responsible for the damage.
At the time the sculpture was first proposed, it drew mixed reactions from the local community due to its price tag and design.
Costing A$136,000 ($89,000; £68,000), the artwork depicts a mythical megafauna, with the sculpture’s designers inspired by an ancient marsupial ant-eater found in nearby caverns that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.
