Young Australian Faces Charges for Supposedly Attaching Googly Eyes on ‘Blue Blob’ Sculpture

A young person from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after reportedly vandalizing a large blue sculpture of a mythical creature by affixing plastic eyes to it.

The 19-year-old, 19 years old, appeared via phone at Mount Gambier Magistrates 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 said that CCTV footage showed a person placing fake eyes on the artwork, which residents have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.

The accused made no plea and informed the judge she was ill, according to news outlets, with the magistrate advising her to find a legal representative before her next court date in December.

The following day the reported event, the city leader said that restoration to the much-loved public artwork would be expensive as the adhesive eyes were impossible to be removed without harming the art piece.

“This wilful damage to a valued community art is unacceptable and disrespectful,” Mayor Lynette Martin remarked in 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 said the local government would pursue the “significant” repair costs from those responsible for the damage.

When the sculpture was initially suggested, it received mixed reactions from the area residents due to its cost and appearance.

Priced at 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; £68,000), the sculpture depicts a legendary giant animal, with the sculpture’s designers influenced by an ancient anteater-like marsupial discovered in local caves that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.