The city of Bend, Oregon, made headlines last month when someone started sticking googly eyes onto public sculptures around town. While many residents found it amusing, city officials were concerned about the cost of removing the googly eyes and the potential damage to the artwork.
The mysterious “googly eye bandit” was finally revealed when Jeff Keith came forward to take responsibility for some of the pranks. Keith is the founder of Guardian Group, a nonprofit organization that fights against human trafficking. He saw the googly eyes as a way to bring some lightheartedness to his work, which often involves heavy and serious issues.
Keith, who has lived in Bend for nearly 20 years, admitted to affixing googly eyes to two art installations in early December. One was a sculpture of a family of deer called “Big Ears” by Joe Halko, and the other was a statue of a man sitting on a bench called “The Traveler” by Richard Beyer. He offered to cover the costs of removing the googly eyes but never heard back from city officials.
This isn’t the first time Keith has pulled attention-grabbing pranks in Bend. He has previously added leis, hula skirts, wigs, and disco balls to sculptures, as well as hung up fake signs announcing the arrival of popular chains like In-N-Out Burger and Voodoo Doughnut. He sees these pranks as a way to bring smiles to people’s faces and estimates that he spends $50 a month on his antics.
The googly eyes incident in Bend garnered national attention, with city officials spending $1,500 to remove the eyes from various sculptures. While some found it humorous, others were concerned about the cost and potential damage to the art. The incident even caught the eye of late-night host Stephen Colbert, who joked about the controversy on “The Late Show.”
Overall, Keith’s playful pranks have brought a touch of whimsy to the city of Bend, even if they sometimes come with a price tag. His actions serve as a reminder that a little laughter and light-heartedness can go a long way in brightening up people’s days.
