DALLAS — Artist Wyland filed a $25 million lawsuit against FIFA and property management companies in U.S. District Court in Dallas. The lawsuit alleges that FIFA, building owners, and managers painted over a mural Wyland created without his consent or prior notification.
Wyland painted a mural covering approximately 17,000 square feet across two walls of a downtown Dallas building. The mural, titled "Whaling Wall 82," was completed in 1999 and depicts life-sized swimming whales. Workers began painting over the mural in May 2026. The lawsuit claims the defendants "hastily and irrevocably destroyed a civic landmark" to promote the World Cup.
The lawsuit alleges the defendants violated the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990. The Visual Artists Rights Act protects publicly displayed artwork of recognized stature from destruction by property owners. Wyland is seeking at least $25 million in damages and has requested a jury trial.
A spokesperson for Slate Asset Management stated that local World Cup organizers asked Slate in March to donate the wall space for a new public art installation. The spokesperson said, "Slate 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." A FIFA spokesperson said, "FIFA has no involvement in this whatsoever," and directed inquiries to the local organizing committee. The Dallas World Cup organizing committee said a portion of Wyland's mural would be preserved.
Wyland has painted more than 100 murals titled Whaling Walls worldwide to promote ocean conservation. The lawsuit states that Herschel Walker and JCPenney dedicated the mural in 1999. An online petition protesting the alteration of the mural has received more than 2,600 signatures. In 2018, a federal judge ordered a property owner to pay a group of artists $6.7 million under the Visual Artists Rights Act for destroying murals in Queens.
Wyland said he planned to pursue legal action. "They picked the wrong artist. I am going to go after them and go after them hard. I am going to ask the community of Dallas to stay with me," Wyland said.