An outcry erupts as a whale mural beloved by many in Dallas is replaced with art for the World Cup
Wyland says he may sue as Dallas officials cover a 1999 mural, drawing criticism while the city prepares for nine World Cup matches.
- Crews began painting over 'Whaling Wall 82,' a 1999 mural by environmental artist Robert Wyland in downtown Dallas, to make room for 2026 FIFA World Cup branding.
- Wyland, who was not notified before work began, called the removal 'deeply painful' and is threatening legal action, citing potential violations of the federal Visual Artists Rights Act.
- Booker T. Washington High School seniors Katy Rose Cusick and Joshua Hurston launched a petition with more than 400 signatures, urging City Hall to prevent future losses of public art.
- The North Texas organizing committee acknowledged the mural's significance and promised a portion of the original work will remain as a tribute, though by Friday the installation was almost entirely obscured.
- FIFA faces broader condemnation over its handling of the 2026 tournament, with fans raising objections to ticketing strategies and a 30% fee on its official resale platform.
22 Articles
22 Articles
Associated Press News
An outcry erupts as a whale mural beloved by many in Dallas is replaced with art for the World Cup
The painting over of a giant mural in Dallas of swimming whales to make way for art related to the upcoming World Cup matches has spurred an outcry.
'An unnecessary loss': FIFA sparks anger after painting over famous whale mural in Dallas
Locals in Dallas are outraged after FIFA made the controversial decision to paint over a downtown mural that celebrated marine life for nearly 30 years. WFAA reports Wyland, the artist who painted "Whaling Wall 82," is now accusing FIFA of doing so without consultation. What happened? Casey Telford (@CaseyToGo) highlighted the saga in a post that quickly took off on the social platform X. FIFA painted over a beautiful, long-standing mural in Do…
Artist Outraged After His Conservationist Mural in Dallas Is Painted Over to Allow for FIFA Promo
A giant mural by conservationist artist Robert Wyland has been painted over in Dallas to make way for a mural promoting FIFA, the international soccer federation. The destroyed piece was one of 100 “whaling wall” murals that the artist has painted from Osaka to Detroit, and from Sydney to New York. Whaling Wall 1 appears alongside the Pacific Coast Highway and was dedicated in 1981; number 100 was painted outside Wyland’s own studio building …
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