🔗 Share this article Young Australian Charged for Allegedly Placing Sticker Eyes on ‘Blue Blob’ Artwork Authorities stated they could not remove the eyes without damaging the artwork. A teenager from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after allegedly vandalizing a large blue sculpture of a legendary being by applying plastic eyes to it. The 19-year-old, aged 19, participated remotely at the local court in South Australia on Tuesday, charged with one count of damaging property. Officials commented at the time of the recent event, the local council explained that surveillance video showed a individual putting artificial eyes on the sculpture, which locals have dubbed the “Cast in Blue”. Ms Vanderhorst made no plea and informed the judge she was ill, as reported by news outlets, with the judge advising her to secure a lawyer before her upcoming hearing in the final month of the year. The affected sculpture after the stickers were removed. The following day the reported event, the local mayor said that restoration to the much-loved public artwork would be costly as the stickers were impossible to be detached without damaging the sculpture. “This intentional vandalism to a valued community art is unacceptable and disrespectful,” Mayor Lynette Martin said in September. “It is not harmless fun, it is pricey - it is also frustrating to those people of our community who have welcomed Cast in Blue.” She added the local government would pursue the “substantial” restoration expenses from those responsible for the vandalism. At the time the sculpture was initially suggested, it received mixed reactions from the area residents due to its cost and design. Costing 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; £68,000), the artwork represents a legendary giant animal, with the sculpture’s designers inspired by an ancient anteater-like marsupial found in local caves that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”. The sculpture is its official name but locals called the piece the ‘Blue Blob’.