Australian Teen Faces Charges for Allegedly Attaching Googly Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Sculpture

Damaged sculpture with eyes attached
Authorities stated they were unable to remove the eyes without harming the artwork.

A young person from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after allegedly vandalizing a sizable blue sculpture of a legendary being by affixing plastic eyes to it.

Amelia Vanderhorst, aged 19, appeared remotely at the local court in South Australia on Tuesday, facing with one count of property damage.

In a statement at the time of the recent event, the local council explained that surveillance video captured a individual placing fake eyes on the artwork, which locals have dubbed the “Blue Blob”.

Ms Vanderhorst made no plea and informed the court she was unwell, according to news outlets, with the judge advising her to secure a lawyer before her next court date in the final month of the year.

Art piece after eye removal
The damaged sculpture after the googly eyes were taken off.

The following day the reported event, the city leader said that restoration to the popular community sculpture would be expensive as the adhesive eyes could not be removed without harming the art piece.

“This wilful damage to a valued public artwork 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.”

The mayor added the council would seek the “substantial” restoration expenses from those accountable for the vandalism.

When the sculpture was initially suggested, it drew varied responses from the local community due to its cost and design.

Priced at A$136,000 ($89,000; £68,000), the sculpture represents a mythical megafauna, with the creators inspired by an prehistoric anteater-like marsupial found in nearby caverns that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.

Formal name vs. local name
Cast in Blue is its official name but locals called the artwork the ‘Blue Blob’.
Jennifer Nguyen
Jennifer Nguyen

A financial analyst with over a decade of experience in global markets, specializing in portfolio management and risk assessment.