Travel around Bend, Oregon, and you just might notice something a little different about the sculptures on several of the city’s roundabouts: a pair of googly eyes. Someone has placed the oversized plastic eyes on 8 public art installations in an apparent attempt to draw some laughs, but officials say the stunt risks damaging the sculptures and that removing them has cost the city $1,500 so far. According to city spokesperson René Mitchell, the adhesives from the eyes can damage metal coatings and may require the sculptures to be repainted or re-coated. For the bronze sculptures, damaged wax can lead to blue-green corrosion. The statement is drawing a mixed response on social media, with many people responding that they like the googly eyes and saying the city shouldn’t take itself so seriously. Bend has more than 20 sculptures that were commissioned and donated by the nonprofit Art in Public Places. People sometimes decorate them for different holidays, with city officials looking the other way when it comes to wreaths and Santa hats.
