Australian Teen Charged for Allegedly Placing Googly Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Artwork
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, 19 years old, participated via phone at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in the state of South Australia on that day, facing with one count of property damage.
Officials commented at the time of the September incident, the municipal authorities said that CCTV footage captured a individual putting artificial eyes on the artwork, which residents have dubbed the “Blue Blob”.
The accused made no plea and informed the judge she was unwell, as reported by media sources, with the judge recommending her to find a lawyer 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 costly as the stickers were impossible to be removed without harming the art piece.
“This intentional vandalism to a cherished community art is unacceptable and disrespectful,” Mayor Lynette Martin said in September. “It is not harmless fun, it is costly - it is also frustrating to those members of our society who have embraced Cast in Blue.”
She said the council would pursue the “substantial” repair costs from those accountable for the vandalism.
When the artwork was initially suggested, it drew varied responses from the area residents due to its price tag and appearance.
Costing 136,000 Australian dollars (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; sixty-eight thousand pounds), the sculpture depicts a legendary giant animal, with the creators inspired by an ancient anteater-like marsupial discovered in nearby caverns that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.
