"It's as if a time traveller dropped off school ID cards at my doorstep," says artist Jyo John Muloor Mulloor of his latest series, depicting famous footballers as children.
Mulloor, who lives in Dubai, is known for creating striking digital artworks, from reimagining snow in the UAE to placing the country's famous landmarks in Pandora, the fictional planet from the film Avatar. He also went viral with a photo series showing Dubai covered in lush greenery.
His latest series began months before the World Cup as a homage to his favourite footballer Lionel Messi.
"Messi is my all-time hero, so I thought I'd honour him. Then, once we got to the quarterfinals and most of the major teams were in, I changed my plan and did a whole series to include Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe," he tells The National.
Mulloor also expanded the series to include some major sporting figures, from Pele to the late Maradona, Franz Beckenbauer and David Beckham, whom he refers to as his "childhood heroes".
Using artificial intelligence software to turn the players into their younger versions, Mulloor then used Photoshop to repaint the photos. The result is a hyper-realistic artwork that he says has been well-received by football fans on social media.
The artist says he scrapped the first version of the project as he was not happy with the result. "I wanted to get that cuteness overload right, and I think I finally achieved it," he says.
Mulloor is from Kerala in South India, a state known for its love of football in a cricket-obsessed country.
He says he's dedicating this football series to Messi.
"I really have one wish and that is to see Messi lift the World Cup this time, as it is his final world cup," he says.
Now it's snowing in Abu Dhabi: artist's striking series reimagines wintry emirate — in pictures
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Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque blanketed in snow as part of digital artist Jyo John Mulloor's ongoing series. All photos: Jyo John Mulloor -
After Dubai, artist Jyo John Mulloor has reimagined Abu Dhabi as a snow covered winter wonderland in an ongoing photo series. -
The Adnoc building. -
Louvre Abu Dhabi. -
Mandarin Oriental, Emirates Palace. -
Through a series of 11 striking photos, Mulloor blankets Abu Dhabi landmarks in white — from the Emirates Palace, to Louvre Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Watan and the circular Aldar Headquarters in Al Raha. -
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Island. -
Mulloor hopes his images of snow in the UAE will help keep residents cool during soaring summer temperatures. -
Aldar Headquarters in Al Raha. -
Qasr Al Watan. -
The Abu Dhabi series took Mulloor five weeks to complete.
