Australian Teen Faces Charges for Allegedly Placing Googly Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Artwork
A teenager from Australia has appeared in court after reportedly vandalizing a large blue sculpture of a legendary being by affixing plastic eyes to it.
The 19-year-old, 19 years old, participated via phone at the local court in the state of South Australia on that day, facing with one count of property damage.
In a statement at the time of the recent event, the local council explained that CCTV footage captured a individual putting fake eyes on the sculpture, which residents have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.
The accused did not enter a plea and informed the court she was unwell, as reported by media sources, with the judge advising her to secure a lawyer before her next court date in the final month of the year.
A day after the alleged incident, the city leader stated that restoration to the much-loved community sculpture would be expensive as the adhesive eyes could not be detached without damaging the art piece.
“This intentional vandalism to a valued community art is inappropriate and disrespectful,” Mayor Lynette Martin said in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also frustrating to those people of our society who have welcomed Cast in Blue.”
She added the local government would seek the “significant” restoration expenses from those responsible for the damage.
At the time the artwork was first proposed, it received mixed reactions from the local community due to its cost and design.
Costing A$136,000 (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; £68,000), the sculpture represents a legendary giant animal, with the creators inspired by an prehistoric anteater-like marsupial found in local caves that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.
