An official in Bend, Oregon, claimed that it cost thousands of dollars to remove googly eyes from public artwork in town. The unlikely sum helped the amusingly-modified objects go viral, and now a culprit has emerged to take credit for some of the work.
Jeff Keith, founder of a Bend-based nonprofit called Guardian Group that works to combat human trafficking, said Friday that he used duct tape to attach googly eyes to two sculptures. He said he has carried out similar pranks on other Bend sculptures before — such as adorning them with hula skirts and leis — and that they serve as a respite from the emotional toll of his work.
"It is a place for me to cope with some pretty heavy stuff," he told The Associated Press.
Of course it doesn't cost thousands of dollars to remove googly eyes. That's just how much it cost to do the impact study, send out an RFP to qualified consultants, arrange procurement contracts, facilitate the scheduling timetable and secure secondary insurance for the artwork should someone get a bit too liberal with the Goo Gone. See also the $1.7m public toilet in San Francisco.
"I think the biggest thing is, for me, just to get a laugh," he said. "When I come up on these roundabouts and I see families laughing, like hysterically laughing at these, it makes for a good time."
Previously:
• Oregon city would like people to stop putting googly eyes on artwork
• Googly eyes improve Tesla's Cybertruck
• Against all evidence, city of Savannah claims googly eyes glued to Revolutionary War statue are 'not funny'
• Googly eyes can help sell 'ugly' produce
• Watch this fantastic 'googly eye' solar eclipse from Mars
• Meet a googly-eyed cuttlefish
• Best use of googly eyes on a motorcycle
• Googly-eye-face Hallowe'en costume
