Young Australian Charged for Supposedly Placing Sticker Eyes on ‘Blue Blob’ Artwork
A teenager from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after allegedly vandalizing a large blue sculpture of a mythical creature by applying plastic eyes to it.
Amelia Vanderhorst, 19 years old, participated via phone at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in South Australia on Tuesday, charged with one count of damaging property.
In a statement at the time of the September incident, the local council explained that surveillance video showed a individual putting fake eyes on the sculpture, which locals have nicknamed the “Blue Blob”.
Ms Vanderhorst made no plea and told the court she was unwell, according to news outlets, with the judge recommending her to secure a lawyer before her next court date in December.
A day after the reported event, the local mayor said that restoration to the popular public artwork would be costly as the adhesive eyes could not be detached without damaging the sculpture.
“This wilful damage to a valued public artwork is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also disappointing to those members of our community who have embraced Cast in Blue.”
The mayor said the local government would seek the “substantial” repair costs from those responsible for the damage.
At the time the sculpture was first proposed, it received varied responses from the local community due to its cost and appearance.
Costing 136,000 Australian dollars (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; sixty-eight thousand pounds), the artwork depicts a legendary giant animal, with the creators inspired by an ancient anteater-like marsupial discovered in local caves that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.
