Enigmatic wobbly eyes gain popularity online after being spotted on public artwork in Oregon

Googly eyes have been popping up on sculptures all over Bend, a city in central Oregon. This unexpected addition has brought joy to many locals and has even become a viral sensation, attracting attention from various news outlets and even making an appearance on a popular late-night talk show.

The city has been sharing images of the googly eyes adorning sculptures located in the center of roundabouts, which form the city’s unique “Roundabout Art Route.” One photo features googly eyes affixed to a sculpture depicting two deer, while another showcases them placed on a spherical object. The identity of the individual responsible for adding the googly eyes remains a mystery.

Despite the lighthearted nature of this act, the city has pointed out that removing the googly eyes requires a delicate process to avoid causing any damage to the artwork. In a statement shared on social media, the city emphasized the costs associated with the careful removal of these playful additions.

The Facebook post received hundreds of comments, with many users saying they liked the googly eyes. “My daughter and I went past the flaming chicken today and shared the biggest laugh,” one user said, using a nickname for the “Phoenix Rising” sculpture. “We love the googly eyes. This town is getting to be so stuffy. Let’s have fun!”

Another Facebook user wrote: “I think the googly eyes on the deer specifically are a great look, and they should stay that way.”

Others said the city should focus on addressing more important issues, such as homelessness, instead of spending time and money on removing the googly eyes.

Over the years, the city’s sculptures have been adorned with other seasonal decorations, including Santa hats, wreaths, leis. The city doesn’t remove those, and views the googly eyes differently because of the adhesive, Bend’s communications director, Rene Mitchell, told The Associated 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 said.

The post and its comments were covered by news outlets, and even made it on a segment of CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” The city regrets that its post was misunderstood, Mitchell said.

“There was no intent to be heavy-handed, and we certainly understand maybe how that was taken,” she said. “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.”

The city has so far spent $1,500 on removing googly eyes from seven of the eight sculptures impacted, Mitchell said, and has started treating some of the art pieces, which are made of different types of metal such as bronze and steel. The “Phoenix Rising” sculpture might need to be repainted entirely, she said.

For some, the googly eyes — like the other holiday objects — provide a welcome boost 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 said. “Brings a smile to everyone to see silliness.”