Sheffield artist defends unfinished Ronnie O'Sullivan snooker mural after 'zombie' criticism
Street artist Chris Ashmore has defended his mural of snooker champion Ronnie O'Sullivan in Sheffield after critics said it looked zombie-like, explaining the work is still unfinished.
A mural depicting seven-time snooker world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan on the back wall of Sheffield's Spot On snooker club has sparked online debate, with some viewers describing it as "zombie-like" and "shocking". Artist Chris Ashmore, who was commissioned to create the piece, has defended his work, stressing that it remains incomplete.
Speaking to the BBC, Ashmore said he had only finished two of the five weeks allotted for the project and that touch-ups were still to come. He explained that he normally uses a scissor lift to step back and view a piece as a whole, but couldn't do so this time because the ground beneath the mural was too uneven. Once the scaffolding came down, the image quickly went viral online.
Mixed reactions
Many people said they liked the mural. Gillian Jones, who lives nearby, said it "brightened her day". Others were more critical: Frank Short said the artwork was fine overall but that the eyes looked wrong, giving the impression the subject "had taken something". Shaun Spalding called the mural "shocking", saying the eyes and teeth were off and that it resembled someone with a "skeletal face" rather than O'Sullivan himself.
Ashmore said he has "thick skin" and would be fine, but admitted the criticism didn't feel entirely fair given the work's unfinished state.
Spot On manager Dan Kirkland backed Ashmore, acknowledging that parts of the face, particularly around the eyes and mouth, need adjusting, and said the club would arrange whatever access the artist needs to finish the job. Kirkland said he was troubled that some reactions had turned personal towards Ashmore, arguing that disliking an artwork is different from attacking the person who made it.
