A Sheffield artist has defended his controversial mural of snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan after images of the artwork attracted widespread criticism online.
The large mural, painted on the exterior of Spot on Snooker and Pool Club on Infirmary Road, quickly went viral, with some social media users describing the depiction as “creepy,” while others compared it to a zombie or even Harry Potter villain Voldemort.
Artist Chris Ashmore responded to the reaction on Facebook, explaining that the mural is not yet complete. He said the removal of the scaffolding had finally allowed him to view the work properly from ground level, but several areas still need attention.
Ashmore added that completing some of the remaining sections would require a cherry picker because parts of the mural are positioned high above the ground.
The artist acknowledged that there are aspects he wants to improve but said he found it strange that people were judging a piece that had not been finished.
The snooker club also defended Ashmore, explaining that the unusual layout and restricted access to the building prevented him from using a cherry picker during most of the painting process. Instead, scaffolding was used, which limited his ability to step back and assess the mural as a whole.
According to the club, only relatively minor adjustments are needed to significantly improve the finished piece.
Ashmore said he had put everything he could into the project and intended to make further improvements once he could safely return to the higher sections of the mural.
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