Australian Teen Faces Charges for Allegedly Placing Sticker Eyes on ‘Blue Blob’ Artwork
A teenager from Australia has appeared in court after reportedly defacing a sizable art piece of a mythical creature by affixing plastic eyes to it.
The 19-year-old, aged 19, participated remotely at the local court in the state of South Australia on Tuesday, facing with one count of damaging property.
Officials commented at the time of the recent event, the local council explained that CCTV footage showed a individual placing fake eyes on the sculpture, which locals have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.
The accused made no plea and informed the court she was ill, according to news outlets, with the magistrate recommending her to find a legal representative before her upcoming hearing in the final month of the year.
A day after the alleged incident, the city leader said that restoration to the much-loved public artwork would be costly as the stickers could not be detached without damaging the art piece.
“This intentional vandalism to a cherished community art is inappropriate and disrespectful,” Mayor Lynette Martin remarked in mid-September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is pricey - it is also frustrating to those members of our community who have embraced Cast in Blue.”
She added the local government would seek the “significant” repair costs from those responsible for the damage.
At the time the sculpture was initially suggested, it received varied responses from the area residents due to its price tag and appearance.
Priced at 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; £68,000), the artwork depicts a mythical megafauna, with the creators inspired by an ancient anteater-like marsupial found in nearby caverns that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.