Young Australian Charged for Supposedly Placing Googly Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Artwork
A teenager from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after allegedly defacing a large art piece of a mythical creature by affixing plastic eyes to it.
The 19-year-old, 19 years old, participated remotely at the local court in the state of South Australia on Tuesday, facing with one count of damaging property.
In a statement at the moment of the recent event, the local council said that surveillance video captured a individual placing artificial eyes on the sculpture, which residents have dubbed the “Blue Blob”.
The accused did not enter a plea and told the judge she was unwell, as reported by news outlets, with the judge recommending her to find a lawyer before her next court date in December.
The following day the alleged incident, the city leader said that repairs to the popular public artwork would be costly as the adhesive eyes could not be removed without harming the sculpture.
“This intentional vandalism to a cherished public artwork is inappropriate and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is pricey - it is also frustrating to those members of our community who have embraced Cast in Blue.”
The mayor said the council would pursue the “substantial” restoration expenses from those responsible for the vandalism.
At the time the artwork was initially suggested, it drew varied responses from the local community due to its price tag and appearance.
Priced at 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; £68,000), the sculpture depicts a mythical megafauna, with the creators influenced by an prehistoric marsupial ant-eater discovered in nearby caverns that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.
