A giant mural of Ronnie O'Sullivan has been met with laughter and comparisons to a 'zombie' after fans reacted to its likeness to the snooker ace. The 30ft-high artwork, titled 'The Rocket', appeared on the side of Spot On Snooker & Pool Club, close to the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
Club owner Dan Kirkland commissioned local artist Chris Ashmore to create the piece, which took more than six weeks to complete. However, social media users have dubbed it 'Monkey O'Sullivan' due to how the star's facial features were depicted.
Fans react to the mural
Others branded the mural 'terrifying' and said it looked 'like the corpse' of the seven-time World Champion. One person asked: 'Didn't know zombie snooker was a thing?' Another joked: 'That's absolutely horrendous, just looks like the corpse of Ronnie O'Sullivan.'
A fan added: 'I want a snooker player but I want him to look like he's just returned from war.' Some said the mural made 50-year-old O'Sullivan 'look like a primate', with one comment reading: 'Monkey O'Sullivan hits a banana shot to hit a maximum 147!'
Another fan remarked: 'I thought this was AI until I went and saw it for myself. Absolutely p***ed myself when I saw it. Best worst tribute to a sports star since the Ronaldo bust statue.'
Artist defends the artwork
Despite the online comments, Kirkland says he 'loves' the artwork, and Ashmore has insisted it is not yet completed. Kirkland said: 'Chris is a fantastic artist who has done loads of work for us inside, recreating the Crucible Theatre as well as pictures of John Lennon, Bullseye and Freddie Mercury which hang on our walls.'
Defending the piece's current state, he added: 'We think some of the online comments are hilarious, but we must stress that the artwork is not quite finished, so it will look a little different by the time it is all done. We love the painting so far; it's unique and is a talking point, but then all good art should provoke discussion.'
O'Sullivan is widely recognised as one of the game's most talented players ever, having turned professional aged just 16. Alongside his seven World Championships, he has won a record eight Masters titles and eight UK Championship titles, with a total of 23 Triple Crown titles, the most achieved by any player.
