Australian Teen Charged for Supposedly Attaching Googly Eyes on ‘Blue Blob’ Artwork
A teenager from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after reportedly defacing a sizable art piece of a legendary being by affixing plastic eyes to it.
The 19-year-old, 19 years old, participated remotely at the local court in the state of 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 artificial eyes on the artwork, which locals have dubbed the “Blue Blob”.
The accused made no plea and informed the judge she was unwell, according to news outlets, with the judge recommending her to find a legal representative before her upcoming hearing in December.
The following day the reported event, the city leader said that restoration to the popular public artwork would be expensive as the adhesive eyes could not be detached without damaging the art piece.
“This intentional vandalism to a cherished public artwork is inappropriate and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor remarked in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also frustrating to those people of our society who have welcomed Cast in Blue.”
The mayor said the council would seek the “substantial” restoration expenses from those accountable for the damage.
At the time the artwork was first proposed, it received mixed reactions from the local community due to its cost and appearance.
Costing A$136,000 (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; £68,000), the sculpture represents a mythical megafauna, with the sculpture’s designers inspired by an prehistoric anteater-like marsupial found in local caves that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.
