Young Australian Faces Charges for Supposedly Placing Sticker Eyes on ‘Blue Blob’ Sculpture
A young person from the Land Down Under has faced legal proceedings after reportedly vandalizing a large art piece of a legendary being by applying plastic eyes to it.
Amelia Vanderhorst, aged 19, participated via phone at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in South Australia on Tuesday, facing with one count of damaging property.
Officials commented at the moment of the September incident, the municipal authorities said that CCTV footage captured a person putting fake eyes on the artwork, which locals have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.
Ms Vanderhorst did not enter a plea and informed the court she was unwell, as reported by media sources, with the magistrate recommending her to find a legal representative before her upcoming hearing in December.
A day after the reported event, the city leader stated that restoration to the popular community sculpture would be expensive as the stickers were impossible to be removed without damaging the art piece.
“This wilful damage to a valued community art is inappropriate and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor remarked in mid-September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is pricey - it is also disappointing to those people of our society who have welcomed Cast in Blue.”
She added the council would seek the “significant” repair costs from those accountable for the damage.
When the sculpture was initially suggested, it drew varied responses from the area residents due to its price tag and appearance.
Priced at 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; £68,000), the sculpture depicts a mythical megafauna, with the creators influenced by an ancient anteater-like marsupial found in nearby caverns that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.
