Young Australian Charged for Supposedly Attaching Googly Eyes on ‘Blue Blob’ Artwork
A young person from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after allegedly vandalizing a large blue sculpture of a legendary being by applying plastic eyes to it.
The 19-year-old, aged 19, participated remotely at the local court in South Australia on Tuesday, facing with a single charge of property damage.
Officials commented at the moment of the September incident, the local council explained that CCTV footage captured a person placing artificial eyes on the artwork, which residents have nicknamed the “Blue Blob”.
Ms Vanderhorst did not enter a plea and told the court she was ill, according to media sources, with the judge recommending her to find a legal representative before her upcoming hearing in December.
A day after the reported event, the local mayor stated that restoration to the popular public artwork would be expensive as the adhesive eyes could not be removed without damaging the art piece.
“This intentional vandalism to a valued public artwork is unacceptable and disrespectful,” Mayor Lynette Martin said in mid-September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also disappointing to those people of our community who have welcomed Cast in Blue.”
She said the local government would pursue the “substantial” restoration expenses from those responsible for the vandalism.
When the artwork was first proposed, it received varied responses from the area residents due to its cost and design.
Costing A$136,000 ($89,000; £68,000), the artwork represents a legendary giant animal, with the creators inspired by an ancient marsupial ant-eater discovered in nearby caverns that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.
