--- title: "Giant AI-Generated Christmas Decoration Being Torn Down After Residents Noticed Grotesque Horrors Hidden in It" description: "Two dubious Christmas murals that appear to have been AI generated proved controversial enough to be torn down days later." date: "2025-11-21" modified: "2025-11-21" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/tearing-down-ai-christmas-decoration" categories: - "Art" - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Ethics" - "Future Society" --- # Giant AI-Generated Christmas Decoration Being Torn Down After Residents Noticed Grotesque Horrors Hidden in It ![Two dubious Christmas murals that appear to have been AI generated proved controversial enough to be torn down days later.]() *Bluesky / Reddit / Futurism* Earlier this week, locals in Kingston upon Thames, a small borough south-west of London, were perturbed by "[scenes of Lovecraftian horror]()" in the form of two enormous murals that [appear to have been sloppily generated by AI]() to celebrate the holiday season. The murals showed horrifyingly disfigured people, animals and even a demented snowman, harkening back to a not-so-distant past when AI image generators [struggled to generate pictures]() of hands with five fingers. Some [joked]() the murals were put up to "celebrate the return of our dark lord Cthulhu," while others questioned how such "[carnage]()" was approved in the first place. The dubious artwork appears to have proven controversial enough for the affected buildings' owners to tear it down, as local journalism outlet [*London Centric* reports]() — though not for the obvious reason that one would assume. A "well-placed source" told the publication that the art was created by artist Mat Collishaw, who is known for using AI to create [well-reviewed art](). But while Collishaw has yet to publicly assume responsibility, *London Centric* reported that the artwork *wasn't* being taken down because it was lazy or nightmare-inducing. instead, onlookers reportedly took issue with the AI slop's purported political message. One of the murals depicts a crowd of people splashing through ankle-length water, possibly invoking scenes of migrants crossing the English Channel, a [point of major political contention]() in the UK. The adorned building's owners told *London Centric* that "nobody knows" what made the murals political, insisting that they depict a Christmas scene inspired by 16th-century Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder. (Blatantly ripping off one of the most significant Renaissance painters in history doesn't necessarily sit better, it's worth noting.) The depictions launched a heated discussion, with some reportedly claiming that it was mocking migrants, while others believed it was an attempt to humanize those who risk their lives by attempting to cross the channel on boats. The bizarre incident suggests people have become so sensitive to political football subjects like immigration in the UK that they're seemingly willing to look past a demented snowman and Cthulhu-invoking demons — a sad state of affairs as [xenophobia and racism]() continue to rise in the island nation. **More on the mural:** [*Town’s Huge Christmas Mural Was Generated Using AI, Resulting in Ghastly Chthonic Horrors*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()