Young Australian Faces Charges for Supposedly Placing Googly Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Artwork
A young person from Australia has appeared in court after reportedly vandalizing a sizable art piece of a mythical creature by applying googly eyes to it.
The 19-year-old, 19 years old, participated remotely at the local court in South Australia on Tuesday, charged with one count of damaging property.
In a statement at the time of the recent event, the municipal authorities explained that surveillance video showed a individual placing fake eyes on the sculpture, which residents have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.
The accused made no plea and told the court she was ill, according to media sources, with the judge recommending her to find a lawyer before her upcoming hearing in the final month of the year.
The following day the alleged incident, the local mayor said that repairs to the popular public artwork would be costly as the stickers could not be removed without damaging the art piece.
“This intentional vandalism to a cherished community art is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also disappointing to those people of our community who have embraced the Blue Blob.”
The mayor added the local government would seek the “significant” restoration expenses from those accountable for the damage.
At the time the artwork was first proposed, it drew varied responses from the area residents due to its price tag and design.
Costing 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; £68,000), the sculpture represents a legendary giant animal, with the sculpture’s designers inspired by an ancient anteater-like marsupial found in local caves that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.
