Dallas "Whaling Wall" Covered Over: Artist Wyland Sues FIFA and Others for Unauthorized Removal of Public Mural

Renowned marine conservation artist Robert Wyland filed a complaint on Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, against the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the building management, and other relevant parties. The lawsuit concerns the covering of his monumental public mural, Ocean Life (also known as "Whaling Wall 82," the 82nd in the series), which was completed in 1999 on the exterior wall of the Texas Utilities Building in downtown Dallas, spanning approximately 15,800 square meters.

According to the complaint, the construction contractor, acting on behalf of the defendants, covered the mural with paint without notifying Robert Wyland or obtaining his consent. The purpose was to free up wall space for a cityscape renewal plan in preparation for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup (to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico).

Wyland asserts that this action violates the federal Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 (VARA). He requests that the court order the defendants to pay no less than $25 million in damages and to grant injunctive relief, including prohibiting further destruction of the mural and requiring its restoration to the original condition.