{"id":2230,"date":"2026-06-02T21:07:24","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T21:07:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=2230"},"modified":"2026-06-02T21:07:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T21:07:24","slug":"artist-suing-fifa-over-destruction-of-dallas-whale-mural-before-world-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=2230","title":{"rendered":"Artist suing FIFA over destruction of Dallas whale mural before World Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The artist who painted a giant mural on a building in downtown Dallas of life-sized swimming whales has filed a $25 million lawsuit against soccer\u2019s international governing body and others, saying they illegally painted over his work to promote the city\u2019s upcoming World Cup matches.<\/p>\n

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The artist Wyland says he hand-painted the sprawling mural that covered roughly 17,000 square feet (1,580 square meters) across two of the building\u2019s walls. <\/p>\n

The mural stood for nearly three decades before workers began painting over it last month, causing an uproar among residents who admired the mural\u2019s grand scale and message of ocean conservation. <\/p>\n

The area\u2019s World Cup organizing committee said in a statement that, in place of Wyland\u2019s mural, new artwork is planned \u201cthat captures this current historical moment and reflects the energy, unity, and global spirit surrounding the World Cup 2026.\u201d It said a portion of Wyland\u2019s mural would be preserved.<\/p>\n

Wyland filed suit Monday in U.S District Court in Dallas saying that World Cup organizers, along with the building\u2019s owner and management company, painted over his mural without his consent or even notifying him.. He says their actions violated of a 1990 federal law passed to protect visual artists from destruction of publicly displayed works. <\/p>\n

Wyland is seeking at least $25 million in damages. His lawsuit says world soccer\u2019s governing body, FIFA, and other defendants \u201chastily and irrevocably destroyed a civic landmark\u201d to promote the World Cup.<\/p>\n

\u201cThough FIFA claims they were working to develop art for the host city, in truth, they defaced an historic fixture of the host city,\u201d the artist\u2019s lawsuit says.<\/p>\n

A FIFA spokesperson said Tuesday the federation \u201chas no involvement in this whatsoever\u201d and referred a reporter to the tournament\u2019s local organizing committee. <\/p>\n

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A spokesperson for the North Texas FWC Organizing Committee declined to comment. The committee isn\u2019t named as a defendant in the lawsuit.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for Slate Asset Management, which manages the building where the mural was painted over, said in a statement that local World Cup organizers asked Slate in March to donate the mural space for \u201ca new public art installation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSlate is not being compensated in any way for the use of the wall space and was told by the local groups that Mr. Wyland had been notified,\u201d the management company\u2019s spokesperson said in an email. <\/p>\n

Dallas is hosting more World Cup matches than any of the other sites in the event co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with nine matches set to be played at AT&T Stadium in suburban Arlington, home of the Dallas Cowboys. <\/p>\n

Wyland\u2019s Dallas mural, titled \u201cWhaling Wall 82,\u201d was finished in 1999 and is among more than 100 similar murals known as Whaling Walls the artist painted around the world to promote the conservation of ocean life.<\/p>\n

An online petition protesting the mural\u2019s destruction and calling for protecting of public artwork in Dallas has received more than 2,600 signatures.<\/p>\n

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___<\/p>\n

Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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