On social media, the town shared pictures of googly eyes on installations in the course of roundabouts that make up its so-called “Roundabout Art Route.” One picture exhibits googly eyes positioned on a sculpture of two deer, whereas one other exhibits them hooked up to a sphere. It’s not but recognized who has been placing them on the sculptures.
“While the googly eyes placed on the various art pieces around town might give you a chuckle, it costs money to remove them with care to not damage the art,” the town stated in its posts.
The Fb submit obtained a whole lot of feedback, with many customers saying they favored the googly eyes. “My daughter and I went past the flaming chicken today and shared the biggest laugh,” one consumer stated, utilizing a nickname for the “Phoenix Rising” sculpture. “We love the googly eyes. This town is getting to be so stuffy. Let’s have fun!”
One other Fb consumer wrote: “I think the googly eyes on the deer specifically are a great look, and they should stay that way.”
Others stated the town ought to concentrate on addressing extra vital points, reminiscent of homelessness, as a substitute of spending money and time on eradicating the googly eyes.
Through the years, the town’s sculptures have been adorned with different seasonal decorations, together with Santa hats, wreaths, leis. Town doesn’t take away these, and views the googly eyes in another way due to the adhesive, Bend’s communications director, Rene Mitchell, advised The Related Press.
“We really encourage our community to engage with the art and have fun. We just need to make sure that we can protect it and that it doesn’t get damaged,” she stated.
“There was no intent to be heavy-handed, and we certainly understand maybe how that was taken,” she stated. “We own this large collection of public art and really want to bring awareness to the community that applying adhesives does harm the art. So as stewards of the collection, we wanted to share that on social media.”
Town has to date spent $1,500 on eradicating googly eyes from seven of the eight sculptures impacted, Mitchell stated, and has began treating a number of the artwork items, that are product of several types of metallic reminiscent of bronze and metal. The “Phoenix Rising” sculpture would possibly must be repainted solely, she stated.
For some, the googly eyes — like the opposite vacation objects — present a great addition of seasonal cheer.
“I look forward to seeing the creativity of whoever it is that decorates the roundabouts during the holidays,” one social media commenter stated. “Brings a smile to everyone to see silliness.”