AI-generated Christmas mural blasted as a ‘Lovecraftian horror’ removed after backlash

An AI-generated Christmas mural, blasted as a “Lovecraftian horror”, has been removed after public backlash.

From afar, the wall art in Riverside Walk, Kingston upon Thames, depicted what looked like Pilgrims gathering to ice skate and set fires.

But on closer inspection, the faces, animals and snowmen featured appeared to be deformed, with the faces of people skating twisted, while dogs in the landscape looked more like chickens.

The giant mural not only caused a stir among locals, but also went viral on social media, prompting the landowners of the commercial area where it was situated to pull it down.

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One person on Reddit described the artwork as containing “scenes of Lovecraftian horror”. Another on Facebook said they were left “speechless” by the mural, which they said appeared to show “a Nativity scene with Pilgrims gathering to celebrate the birth of Jesus”.

A spokesperson from the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames told The Independent: “Kingston Council has had no involvement in the planning or funding of the display. The landowner has now confirmed that they have removed the installation.”

A manager from the restaurant Côte Brasserie, on the Riverside Walk path, told Metro there were a number of complaints and the mural became a “big talking point”.

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“It was the landlord of the building who put it up, nothing to do with the restaurant,” they said. “They put an AI-generated mural up in the summer as well, with distorted seafood, which also was controversial. Everyone has their own ideas, I guess. There have been lots of shoppers stopping to see it but there has been a lot of complaints.”

Kelly Sherlock told Metro: “It was an eyesore – it was bonkers really. Everyone was going down to have a look so it was eye-catching, but in the wrong way.”

The development’s owners have reportedly insisted that the mural was a Christmas scene inspired by the sixteenth-century Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder, according to the London Centric. Bruegel was known for his genre paintings, populated by peasants. Some of his paintings are titled ‘Massacre of the Innocents’, relating to the Biblical story, and ‘The Hunters in the Snow’.

The Independent has contacted the investment firm behind Riverside Walk for comment.