A 30ft-high mural of Ronnie O'Sullivan has appeared on the side of Spot on Snooker & Pool Club in Sheffield, close to the Crucible Theatre, and has drawn a wave of online mockery.
Club owner Dan Kirkland commissioned local artist Chris Ashmore to create the artwork of the snooker star, nicknamed 'The Rocket'. The piece has taken more than six weeks so far and is not yet finished.
Fans compare mural to a zombie
Social media users branded the artwork "Monkey O'Sullivan" due to how the star's facial features were depicted. Others called it "terrifying" and said it made the seven-time World Champion look like a "zombie."
"Didn't know zombie snooker was a thing," one social media user said. Another quipped: "That's absolutely horrendous, just looks like the corpse of Ronnie O'Sullivan."
One fan joked: "I want a snooker player but I want him to look like he's just returned from war." Others said the mural made the 50-year-old "look like a primate." One wrote: "Monkey O'Sullivan hits a banana shot to hit a maximum 147!" Another fan said: "I thought this was AI until I went and saw it for myself. Absolutely p***ed myself when I saw it."
Owner defends the artwork
Despite the online comments, Dan says he "loves" the artwork. He 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. 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."
Not the first unflattering tribute
Ronnie O'Sullivan is far from the only celebrity to have what some consider to be unflattering art of themselves. Football icon Cristiano Ronaldo found himself immortalised in a less than flattering bust back in 2017. It was quickly mocked online before a new bust of the superstar was commissioned.
