Artist defends controversial Ronnie O’Sullivan mural
The artist behind a controversial mural of snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan has responded to criticism after the unfinished portrait received comparisons to a zombie and Michael Jackson, reports BritPanorama.
Sheffield street artist Chris Ashmore was commissioned to create the mural on the rear wall of the Spot On Snooker Club in Langsett Road. However, images of the enormous artwork quickly went viral as social media users critiqued O’Sullivan’s appearance, with some describing the portrait as “zombie-like” and others claiming he had a “skeletal” face.
Ashmore defended his work by emphasizing that the mural remains unfinished and still requires several important alterations. He had completed only two weeks of the project, which is expected to take a total of five weeks, before the scaffolding was removed.
“I usually use a scissor lift, where you can stand back and see things as a whole, but I couldn’t use it as the land is too uneven,” Ashmore explained. “When the scaffolding came down, I came away and boom – it’s gone viral.” He acknowledged the feedback but expressed that some reactions felt unfair.
Spot On manager Dan Kirkland supported Ashmore, noting that parts of O’Sullivan’s face needed further work but pointed out that personal attacks on the artist were unwarranted. “Yes, we’ve seen what you’ve seen,” Kirkland stated, while stressing the importance of constructive criticism rather than personal disparagement.
Ashmore assured that he did not intend to rush the necessary changes in response to online feedback. “It’s not finished, there’s bits of skin tone to do and I’ll finish it off as and when I can,” he mentioned. “I’m not just going to rush it in three days because people have complained on social media. I want to do it properly in my own time.”
This episode underlines the intersection of artistic expression and public perception, revealing how quickly opinions can shape the narrative around a work before its completion—a reminder that art, like sport, can ignite fierce debate and contrasting sentiments among the public.
