Australian Teen Faces Charges for Supposedly Placing Sticker Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Sculpture

A young person from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after reportedly defacing a sizable art piece of a legendary being by affixing googly eyes to it.

Amelia Vanderhorst, aged 19, participated via phone at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in the state of South Australia on that day, facing with a single charge of damaging property.

Officials commented at the moment of the September incident, the municipal authorities explained that CCTV footage showed a person placing artificial eyes on the sculpture, which locals have dubbed the “Blue Blob”.

Ms Vanderhorst did not enter a plea and told the court she was unwell, according to news outlets, with the judge advising her to secure a legal representative before her next court date in the final month of the year.

A day after the reported event, the city leader stated that restoration to the much-loved public artwork would be expensive as the adhesive eyes were impossible to be detached without harming the sculpture.

“This intentional vandalism to a valued public artwork is inappropriate and disrespectful,” Mayor Lynette Martin said in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also disappointing to those members of our society who have embraced Cast in Blue.”

The mayor added the local government would seek the “substantial” restoration expenses from those responsible for the vandalism.

When the sculpture was initially suggested, it received varied responses from the area residents due to its cost and appearance.

Costing A$136,000 ($89,000; £68,000), the sculpture depicts a legendary giant animal, with the creators inspired by an ancient marsupial ant-eater discovered in local caves that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.