A teenager from Australia has appeared in court after reportedly defacing a sizable blue sculpture of a legendary being by affixing googly eyes to it.
Amelia Vanderhorst, 19 years old, appeared via phone at the local court in South Australia on Tuesday, facing with one count of property damage.
Officials commented at the moment of the recent event, the local council explained that CCTV footage captured a person putting artificial eyes on the sculpture, which locals have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.
Ms Vanderhorst did not enter a plea and told the judge she was unwell, as reported by news outlets, with the magistrate recommending her to find a lawyer before her upcoming hearing in December.
The following day the reported event, the city leader said that repairs to the much-loved community sculpture would be costly as the adhesive eyes were impossible to be removed without harming the art piece.
“This intentional vandalism to a cherished public artwork is unacceptable and disrespectful,” Mayor Lynette Martin remarked in mid-September. “It is not harmless fun, it is pricey - it is also disappointing to those members of our community who have welcomed the Blue Blob.”
She said the local government would seek the “substantial” restoration expenses from those accountable for the vandalism.
When the artwork was initially suggested, it drew varied responses from the local community due to its cost and design.
Costing A$136,000 ($89,000; £68,000), the artwork represents a legendary giant animal, with the creators influenced by an prehistoric marsupial ant-eater discovered in nearby caverns that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.
