Community condemn AI mural as 'insult' to artists

A community have expressed their outrage at an AI-generated mural, which has appeared in an area renowned for its vibrant street art scene.

The vinyl sticker on the side of the Jolly Colliers pub in Bedminster, Bristol, features hot air balloons alongside iconic city landmarks like the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

A letter from an unnamed member of the community was found taped to the building and described it as a "disrespectful affront" to a city full of creatives, and accused the owners of "laziness".

A spokesperson for Punch Pubs & Co., which owns the pub, said the mural is a "temporary solution" and that they will be working with local artists to replace it soon.

The letter, addressed "to those responsible", criticises the use of artificial intelligence as both environmentally damaging and "an insult" to capable creatives.

It reads: "You are actively damaging the livelihoods of artists, disrespecting and contributing to the theft of their work, and making a mockery of what makes Bristol the city it is.

"You have watered down the spirit, the originality and the very essence of the visual aesthetic you have tried, and failed, to recreate."

It added the depiction is "riddled with glaring mistakes", including "invented" buildings.

The mural is located within an area known for hosting Upfest, Europe's largest street art festival, which sees artists use blank buildings as a canvas.

Nina Raines, from the Bristol Mural Collective, believes using artificial renderings "undermines" the city's international reputation as a creative hub.

"We've had enough of AI-generated art - it's horrible for the environment and horrible for creatives who are having their ideas stolen," she said.

Raines added local artists would have been "very willing to help" create a temporary mural, had they been asked.

Artist Ollie Gilliard, known as Gage Graphic, said he could "see why locals would be disappointed" in the "careless and rushed" piece.

His commissioned work features among the many hand-painted murals in the area, such as the wolf on nearby West Street.

"I do worry how AI is creeping into the creative domain and replacing it with soulless plagiarism," he said.

"When you observe the hand-painted textures and the storytelling in those other works, you can appreciate the artist's efforts, and it feels very human.

"I feel the combination of shiny vinyl and the overly cliché computer graphics will never live up to the human murals - they will always carry a sense of fakeness."

The pub's owners said the vinyl sticker was put up as a temporary measure due to the condition of the external wall, and would soon be replaced.

"We will be working with local artists and the community on a permanent mural which is more in keeping with the area," they said.

"The external wall requires some minor works which would make a permanent mural at this time difficult, so we opted for a temporary solution.

"We plan to remove the temporary artwork this week."

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