Australian Teen Faces Charges for Supposedly Attaching Sticker Eyes on ‘Blue Blob’ Sculpture
A young person from Australia has faced legal proceedings after allegedly vandalizing a large blue sculpture of a mythical creature by affixing googly eyes to it.
The 19-year-old, 19 years old, participated remotely at the local court in South Australia on that day, charged with one count of damaging property.
Officials commented at the time of the September incident, the local council said that CCTV footage showed a individual putting artificial eyes on the artwork, which residents have dubbed the “Cast in Blue”.
The accused made no plea and informed the court she was unwell, according to news outlets, with the magistrate recommending her to find a legal representative before her next court date in December.
A day after the alleged incident, the local mayor said that repairs to the much-loved public artwork would be expensive as the stickers could not be detached without damaging the sculpture.
“This intentional vandalism to a valued community art is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor remarked in September. “It is not harmless fun, it is pricey - it is also disappointing to those members of our community who have welcomed the Blue Blob.”
The mayor said the council would seek the “significant” restoration expenses from those accountable for the vandalism.
When the sculpture was first proposed, it drew varied responses from the area residents due to its cost and design.
Costing 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; £68,000), the sculpture depicts a legendary giant animal, with the sculpture’s designers inspired by an prehistoric anteater-like marsupial discovered in local caves that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.