Amelia Vanderhorst, 20, has been convicted of a graffiti offence after attaching googly eyes to a well-known sculpture in South Australia. She pleaded guilty at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court on Tuesday and was ordered to pay A$2,000 ($1,394) in compensation and complete 60 hours of community service.
Vanderhorst had consumed MDMA and three litres of vodka on the night of the incident last September, her lawyer Michael Hill told the court.
Charge reduced after negotiations
Originally charged with property damage, Vanderhorst’s offence was amended to a graffiti charge following discussions with the prosecution. Hill stated that since the incident she had «taken meaningful steps to address the issues that contributed to her offending, including reducing her substance use and focusing on stabilising her personal circumstances.»
«She is committed to making better decisions moving forward,» he added.
Vanderhorst initially launched a crowdfunding campaign to pay for legal representation, citing her status as «young and jobless,» but later cancelled it and returned the donated funds.
Public reaction and sculpture details
The sculpture, titled Cast in Blue and unveiled last July, is popularly known as the Blue Blob. Local residents had mixed opinions on the piece due to its design and cost. Mayor Lynette Martin described the act of placing the googly eyes as «wilful damage to a valued public artwork» and noted that removing the stickers would be expensive and could further harm the sculpture.
Costing A$136,000, the artwork depicts a mythical megafauna inspired by an ancient marsupial ant-eater discovered in local caves, described by its designers as «massive, lumbering and fascinating.»
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