Australian Teen Faces Charges for Allegedly Placing Sticker Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Artwork
A teenager from the Land Down Under has faced legal proceedings after reportedly defacing a sizable blue sculpture of a legendary being by applying plastic eyes to it.
Amelia Vanderhorst, 19 years old, appeared via phone at the local court in the state of South Australia on Tuesday, charged 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 sculpture, which locals have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.
Ms Vanderhorst did not enter a plea and told the court she was ill, as reported by news outlets, with the judge recommending her to secure a legal representative before her next court date in the final month of the year.
The following day the alleged incident, the local mayor said that repairs to the much-loved community sculpture would be expensive as the adhesive eyes could not be removed without damaging the sculpture.
“This wilful damage to a cherished community art is inappropriate and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said 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 council would seek the “substantial” repair costs from those responsible for the damage.
At the time the artwork was initially suggested, it drew varied responses from the area residents due to its cost and appearance.
Priced at A$136,000 ($89,000; sixty-eight thousand pounds), the artwork represents a legendary giant animal, with the sculpture’s designers inspired by an ancient anteater-like marsupial discovered in nearby caverns that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.
