Australian Teen Charged for Allegedly Attaching Sticker Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Artwork
A young person from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after allegedly defacing a large blue sculpture of a legendary being by applying googly eyes to it.
Amelia Vanderhorst, 19 years old, appeared remotely at the local court in the state of South Australia on Tuesday, facing with one count of damaging property.
In a statement at the time of the September incident, the municipal authorities said that CCTV footage captured a individual placing fake eyes on the artwork, which residents have nicknamed the “Blue Blob”.
Ms Vanderhorst did not enter a plea and informed the court she was unwell, as reported by news outlets, with the magistrate recommending her to find a lawyer before her upcoming hearing in December.
The following day the reported event, the local mayor stated that restoration to the much-loved community sculpture would be expensive as the adhesive eyes were impossible to be detached without damaging the art piece.
“This wilful damage to a cherished community art is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor remarked in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is pricey - it is also disappointing to those members of our community who have embraced the Blue Blob.”
She added the council would pursue the “substantial” restoration expenses from those accountable for the vandalism.
At the time the sculpture was first proposed, it received varied responses from the local community due to its cost and design.
Priced at 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; £68,000), the artwork depicts a legendary giant animal, with the sculpture’s designers inspired by an ancient anteater-like marsupial found in local caves that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.
