In the central Oregon city of Bend, a local resident has come forward as the creative mind behind a quirky trend that involved applying googly eyes to various sculptures throughout the area, which has garnered widespread media attention.
Jeff Keith, the founder of a nonprofit organization called Guardian Group that is dedicated to fighting human trafficking, disclosed on Friday that he was responsible for affixing googly eyes to two of the city’s sculptures using duct tape. He admitted to performing similar playful pranks in the past, such as decorating sculptures with hula skirts and leis, recognizing that these lighthearted gestures help him cope with the challenging aspects of his work.
“It’s a way for me to manage some pretty intense subjects,” Keith shared, emphasizing that many of the victims he interacts with have endured profound trauma. His escapades provide a much-needed moment of levity amidst the serious themes of his daily responsibilities.
In December, the city of Bend shared images of the googly eyes installations on its social media platforms, warning that the adhesives could potentially damage the artwork. One notable image showcased the googly eyes on a sculpture of two deer—a project Keith claimed as his own—while another depicted them on a spherical sculpture. City officials reported that eight sculptures were impacted by these playful additions, resulting in an estimated $1,500 in removal costs.
The city’s social media posts sparked a wave of reactions, with numerous commenters expressing their enjoyment of the playful googly eyes and advocating against the city’s efforts to remove them. This conversation quickly spread across local news outlets and even made its way to a segment on CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
Surprised by the notable response, Keith visited city hall to offer to cover any expenses related to the removal of the googly eyes. As of Friday, the city had not provided a public response to his inquiry.
Bend’s communications director, Rene Mitchell, explained last month that the city did not intend for its message to be taken harshly, indicating that the goal of the social media posts was to highlight the potential damage that adhesive materials can cause to public art. She mentioned that the city had already begun implementing measures to protect some of the affected sculptures, composed of various metals like bronze and steel.
Having resided in Bend for almost 20 years, Keith hopes his humorous pranks contribute a sense of joy and laughter to daily life for residents and visitors alike. “For me, the main goal is simply to make people laugh,” he stated. “Seeing families doubled over with laughter when they encounter these pieces brings a sense of fulfillment to my day.”
