Young Australian Charged for Allegedly Attaching Sticker Eyes on ‘Cast in Blue’ Artwork

Damaged sculpture with eyes attached — Authorities mentioned they could not remove the eyes without harming the artwork.

A young person from the Land Down Under has faced legal proceedings after allegedly vandalizing a large blue sculpture of a legendary being by applying plastic eyes to it.

Amelia Vanderhorst, aged 19, participated remotely at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in South Australia on Tuesday, facing with a single charge of property damage.

In a statement at the moment of the September incident, the municipal authorities explained that CCTV footage captured a person placing artificial eyes on the artwork, which locals have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.

Ms Vanderhorst did not enter a plea and informed the court she was unwell, as reported by media sources, with the judge advising her to find a legal representative before her upcoming hearing in December.

Art piece after eye removal — The damaged sculpture after the stickers were removed.

A day after the alleged incident, the city leader said that repairs to the popular community sculpture would be costly as the stickers could not be detached without damaging the sculpture.

“This wilful damage to a cherished community art is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also frustrating to those members of our community who have welcomed Cast in Blue.”

The mayor added the council would pursue the “substantial” repair costs from those accountable for the vandalism.

When the artwork was first proposed, it drew varied responses from the area residents due to its price tag and design.

Priced at A$136,000 (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; £68,000), the artwork represents a mythical megafauna, with the creators influenced by an ancient anteater-like marsupial found in nearby caverns that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.