Young Australian Charged for Supposedly Attaching Googly Eyes on ‘Blue Blob’ Artwork
A teenager from Australia has faced legal proceedings after reportedly vandalizing a sizable art piece of a legendary being by applying 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 property damage.
Officials commented at the moment of the September incident, the municipal authorities explained that CCTV footage showed a person putting artificial eyes on the sculpture, which locals have nicknamed the “Blue Blob”.
The accused did not enter a plea and informed the court she was ill, as reported by news outlets, with the magistrate recommending her to secure a legal representative before her upcoming hearing in December.
The following day the alleged incident, the local mayor said that repairs to the much-loved public artwork would be costly as the adhesive eyes were impossible to be detached without damaging the art piece.
“This wilful damage to a cherished public artwork is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor remarked in September. “It is not harmless fun, it is costly - it is also disappointing to those members of our community who have embraced Cast in Blue.”
She added the local government would pursue the “significant” restoration expenses from those accountable for the damage.
At the time the sculpture was initially suggested, it drew mixed reactions from the local community due to its cost and design.
Costing A$136,000 ($89,000; sixty-eight thousand pounds), the artwork represents a legendary giant animal, with the creators inspired by an ancient marsupial ant-eater found in nearby caverns that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.
