Young Australian Faces Charges for Allegedly Placing Sticker Eyes on ‘Blue Blob’ Sculpture

Altered sculpture with eyes attached — The local council stated they could not take off the eyes without damaging the artwork.

A teenager from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after allegedly vandalizing a sizable blue sculpture of a mythical creature by applying googly eyes to it.

Amelia Vanderhorst, aged 19, appeared via phone at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in the state of South Australia on Tuesday, facing with one count of property damage.

Officials commented at the moment of the recent event, the local council explained that CCTV footage showed a person putting artificial eyes on the sculpture, which residents have nicknamed the “Blue Blob”.

Ms Vanderhorst did not enter a plea and told the court she was ill, according to news outlets, with the judge advising her to find a legal representative before her next court date in December.

Sculpture after eye removal — The damaged sculpture after the stickers were taken off.

A day after the alleged incident, the local mayor said that restoration to the popular public artwork would be expensive as the adhesive eyes were impossible to be removed without damaging the art piece.

“This wilful damage to a valued public artwork is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor remarked in mid-September. “It is not harmless fun, it is pricey - it is also disappointing to those people of our society who have welcomed Cast in Blue.”

She said the council would seek the “significant” restoration expenses from those accountable for the damage.

At the time the artwork was initially suggested, it drew mixed reactions from the area residents due to its price tag and appearance.

Costing 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; sixty-eight thousand pounds), the sculpture represents a legendary giant animal, with the creators influenced by an prehistoric marsupial ant-eater found in local caves that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.