Blue Blob Vandalized With Googly Eyes

The £68,000 Blob, a Teenager, and the Googly Eyes That Shook a Town

A single act involving a pair of oversized googly eyes has thrust a small Australian city into a global conversation about art, vandalism, and community. In Mount Gambier, South Australia, a 19-year-old woman faced court proceedings after allegedly affixing the craft-store novelties to a controversial piece of public art. The incident, which some residents hailed as a stroke of comic genius, left city officials decidedly unamused. They pointed to a significant bill for repairs and a disregard for public property. The case of Amelia Vanderhorst and the 'Blue Blob' highlights the thin line between a harmless joke and a punishable offence.

A Prank Captured on Camera

The episode began in the early hours of a September morning when CCTV footage recorded an individual approaching the large, abstract blue sculpture. Shortly after, the artwork, officially titled 'Cast in Blue', was sporting a pair of large, comical googly eyes. This modification quickly caught the attention of locals and authorities. Mount Gambier's city council reported the incident, which they unequivocally labelled as an act of vandalism. This was not the first time the sculpture had been targeted; it had previously suffered from having an appendage glued to it and its surface scratched. The addition of the eyes, however, proved to be the most high-profile alteration.

Legal Action and Public Fundraising

Authorities later charged Amelia Vanderhorst, who is 19, with a single count of damaging property. During her first hearing, which took place by telephone with the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court, she refrained from entering a plea, telling the magistrate she felt sick. The judge then recommended that she find legal counsel prior to a subsequent court date scheduled for December. In a modern twist to the legal saga, Ms Vanderhorst started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover her legal expenses. She stated on the fundraising page that she did not intend for the eyes to cause any harm or offence.

An Unamused Mayoral Response

Lynette Martin, the mayor for Mount Gambier, firmly stated the council's position on the matter. She described the act as ‘inappropriate and disrespectful’, rejecting any notion that it was simply ‘harmless fun’. The mayor emphasised the financial implications, stating that the local authority intended to recover the considerable restoration expenses from the person found responsible. This stance underscored the official view that altering public property, regardless of the intent, carries serious consequences. The mayor also highlighted the frustration felt by community members who had positively embraced the artwork since its installation.

The High Cost of a Sticky Situation

The primary concern for the council was the difficulty in removing the adhesive eyes without inflicting further damage on the sculpture's unique surface. Authorities feared that the process of taking off the stickers would chip or strip the specialised paint, leading to a complex and expensive restoration job. Police documents estimated the cost of repairs to be under A$2,500. Following the incident, restoration work commenced, with images showing the affected areas being carefully repaired to restore the piece to its original condition.

Introducing the Controversial ‘Cast in Blue’

The sculpture at the centre of the storm, ‘Cast in Blue’, was a recent and contentious addition to Mount Gambier’s public spaces. Unveiled in July, the A$136,000 artwork was installed on Bay Road, outside the Riddoch Arts and Cultural Centre. The piece, designed by Melbourne-based Huna Studio, was commissioned as part of the city's Beacon Art Project, which aimed to create iconic landmarks reflecting the region's identity. Known colloquially as the 'Blue Blob', the sculpture had already divided local opinion long before the googly eyes made their appearance.

Prehistoric Inspiration from Deep Caves

The artists behind 'Cast in Blue', Mitch Walker and Tom Proctor, drew their inspiration from the region's rich paleontological history. The concept originated from a conversation one of the artists had with his paleontologist aunt, who had explored the sinkholes and caves near Mount Gambier. She shared images of fossilised megafauna remains discovered deep underground. The specific creature that sparked the idea was the Palorchestes Panei, a massive and fascinating prehistoric, pouched anteater. The artists aimed to create an imagined creature that spoke to the many layers of the area's past.

An Artwork Born from Local Geology

The sculpture's striking colour is a direct reference to Mount Gambier's famed Blue Lake, a large crater lake that displays a vibrant cobalt blue in summer. The artwork intends to merge this significant geological feature with the area's prehistoric past. The artists hoped the piece would encourage curiosity about what lies beneath the surface, both literally within the region’s limestone geology and metaphorically in how people connect with their environment. The city's mayor, Lynette Martin, noted that the artwork had been designed to be a ‘beacon’ piece, sparking curiosity and encouraging further discovery of the region's history.

A History of Mixed Reactions

Even before its installation, the art piece became a lightning rod for criticism. The A$136,000 price tag drew sharp condemnation from some residents, particularly as its funding coincided with council rate rises. The abstract design also attracted considerable debate, with many locals questioning its aesthetic value. This pre-existing controversy framed the subsequent public reaction to the googly-eye incident. The community was already split on the artwork's merit, creating a fertile ground for the divisive debate that followed the alleged act of vandalism.

A Community Divided by Laughter

The addition of the googly eyes sharply divided the Mount Gambier community. On social media and in local discussions, many residents expressed amusement, with some arguing the eyes were an improvement on the original design. This camp viewed the act as a harmless prank that gave the abstract creature a much-needed touch of personality. Conversely, another segment of the community sided with the council, viewing the act as a blatant defacement of public property. They saw it as a slippery slope that could encourage more serious acts of vandalism.

The Global Trend of ‘Eyebombing’

The incident in Mount Gambier is part of a wider, informal global art movement known as ‘eyebombing’. The practice involves affixing novelty eyes to inanimate objects in public spaces to personify them and bring a moment of humour to passersby. Proponents see it as a non-destructive and light-hearted form of street art, designed to humanise the urban environment. The core principle is often that the eyes can be removed as easily as they are applied, distinguishing the act from more permanent forms of graffiti or vandalism.

The Fine Line Between Art and Vandalism

This case raises complex questions about the distinction between creative public intervention and criminal damage. While the council and police view the act through the lens of property law, many who found it funny saw it as a form of cultural commentary. The debate hinges on intent and impact. The act was not malicious in the traditional sense, yet it resulted in physical damage and financial cost to the community. This blurs the lines, forcing a conversation about whether the legal response is proportionate to an act perceived by many as a simple joke.

Mount Gambier’s Push for Public Art

The 'Cast in Blue' sculpture is a key component of a broader public arts strategy for Mount Gambier. This strategy aims to create a rich range of installations and events that foster a proud sense of identity among citizens while also attracting visitors. The plan specifically calls for high-impact, 'beacon' installations that are strikingly photographable and generate a strong social media presence. The council sees such projects as a long-term investment in the cultural vibrancy of the city, intending to spark conversation and create interest.

The Artists' Intentions for Their Creation

The creators from Huna Studio, Tom Proctor and Mitch Walker, have spoken about their hope that the public would approach their sculpture with curiosity and openness. They envisioned it not merely as an object, but as a kind of story—a creature blended from memory, ecology, and invention. Public art is often created to elicit a response and encourage interaction, but the form that interaction takes is not always what the artist or commissioner anticipates. The googly eyes represent an unexpected, and legally problematic, form of public engagement with their work.

Social Media Amplifies a Local Story

The image of the 'Blue Blob' with its new eyes quickly spread far beyond Mount Gambier, largely thanks to social media. Platforms like Facebook became forums for fierce debate, and the amusing photograph was shared globally. This amplification turned a local council issue into an international news story, covered by media outlets around the world. The incident demonstrates how quickly a single image can capture the public imagination, transforming a regional dispute into a viral phenomenon and a case study in the unpredictable life of public art.

The Financial and Legal Aftermath

Beyond the direct cost of the physical repairs, the incident has incurred other expenses. These include the costs associated with the police investigation and the court proceedings involving Ms Vanderhorst. Police allege she was ‘recklessly indifferent’ as to whether her actions would cause damage. The council has remained firm in its stance that it will seek to recoup restoration expenses from the responsible party, sending a clear message about its intolerance for any form of vandalism, humorous or otherwise. The case continues to move through the legal system.

A Question of Proportionality in Punishment

The decision to press criminal charges against a teenager for what many consider a prank has sparked a debate about proportionality. Some argue that a formal caution or a request to pay for the damages would have been a more suitable response. Others maintain that the law must be applied consistently to protect public assets. The legal outcome could set a precedent for similar cases in the future, where acts of minor, non-malicious defacement are weighed against the costs and principles of maintaining public property.

The Enduring Legacy of the 'Blue Blob'

Regardless of the court's decision, the googly eye incident has irrevocably altered the story of 'Cast in Blue'. The sculpture is now arguably more famous than it ever would have been on its own merits. It has become a local legend, a talking point that has engaged the community in a way the artists and council likely never imagined. The 'Blue Blob' is no longer just a representation of mythical megafauna; it is a symbol of a town's complicated, and sometimes comical, relationship with its public art.

Art's Unpredictable Journey in Public Life

The saga of the 'Blue Blob' serves as a fascinating case study in the life of public art. It reveals that once an artwork is placed in the public realm, its meaning is no longer solely controlled by the artist or the commissioning body. The public becomes an active participant in shaping its narrative. Sometimes, this participation is respectful observation. Other times, it involves a A$5 packet of googly eyes and a court date, creating a new and unexpected chapter in the artwork's history and the cultural life of a community.