Young Australian Faces Charges for Allegedly Attaching Sticker Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Artwork
A teenager from Australia has faced legal proceedings after allegedly defacing a sizable art piece of a mythical creature by affixing googly eyes to it.
Amelia Vanderhorst, aged 19, participated remotely at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in South Australia on that day, facing with a single charge of damaging property.
Officials commented at the time of the recent event, the local council explained that CCTV footage showed a person putting fake eyes on the sculpture, which residents have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.
The accused did not enter a plea and informed the judge she was unwell, as reported by news outlets, with the judge recommending her to secure a legal representative before her next court date in December.
A day after the reported event, the local mayor stated that restoration to the popular community sculpture would be expensive as the adhesive eyes were impossible to be detached without damaging the sculpture.
“This wilful damage to a cherished public artwork is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said in mid-September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also disappointing to those people of our society who have welcomed the Blue Blob.”
The mayor said the council would seek the “substantial” repair costs from those accountable for the vandalism.
When the sculpture was initially suggested, it received varied responses from the area residents due to its cost and appearance.
Priced at A$136,000 ($89,000; sixty-eight thousand pounds), the sculpture represents a legendary giant animal, with the creators inspired by an ancient anteater-like marsupial found in nearby caverns that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.
