Young Australian Charged for Allegedly Attaching Googly Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Artwork
A young person from Australia has appeared in court after allegedly vandalizing a sizable blue sculpture of a mythical creature by affixing googly eyes to it.
Amelia Vanderhorst, aged 19, appeared remotely at the local court in the state of South Australia on that day, charged with a single charge of damaging property.
Officials commented at the moment of the recent event, the local council said that surveillance video showed a person putting fake eyes on the artwork, which residents have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.
Ms Vanderhorst did not enter a plea and informed the judge she was ill, according to news outlets, with the judge advising her to find a lawyer before her upcoming hearing in December.
The following day the alleged incident, the local mayor stated that restoration to the popular community sculpture would be costly as the stickers could not be removed without damaging the sculpture.
“This wilful damage to a valued community art is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said in mid-September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also frustrating to those members of our society who have welcomed the Blue Blob.”
She said the council would seek the “significant” repair costs from those accountable for the damage.
When the sculpture was initially suggested, it drew varied responses from the area residents due to its cost and design.
Costing A$136,000 ($89,000; £68,000), the sculpture depicts a legendary giant animal, with the sculpture’s designers inspired by an prehistoric anteater-like marsupial found in local caves that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.
