Australian Teen Faces Charges for Supposedly Attaching Sticker Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Artwork

A teenager from Australia has faced legal proceedings after reportedly defacing a sizable art piece of a legendary being by applying googly eyes to it.

Amelia Vanderhorst, aged 19, appeared via phone at the local court in South Australia on that day, facing with one count of property damage.

Officials commented at the time of the September incident, the municipal authorities explained that CCTV footage captured a individual putting fake eyes on the artwork, which locals have nicknamed the “Blue Blob”.

The accused made no plea and informed the judge she was ill, as reported by news outlets, with the judge recommending her to find a legal representative before her next court date in December.

A day after the alleged incident, the city leader stated that repairs to the popular community sculpture would be costly as the stickers could not be detached without harming the art piece.

“This wilful damage to a valued community art is inappropriate and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is pricey - it is also frustrating to those people of our society who have embraced Cast in Blue.”

She said the local government would seek the “significant” restoration expenses from those responsible for the vandalism.

At the time the artwork was first proposed, it drew mixed reactions from the local community due to its price tag and appearance.

Priced at 136,000 Australian dollars (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; £68,000), the artwork depicts a legendary giant animal, with the creators inspired by an prehistoric marsupial ant-eater discovered in local caves that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.