Wyland Sues FIFA for $25 Million Over Dallas Whale Mural Paint-Over

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 2

$25 million in damages is being sought by Wyland, who sued FIFA, 3PZ Property Company and Slate in federal court Monday over the paint-over of his Dallas mural “Ocean Life.”
The lawsuit says most of the mural was covered in blue paint in May to clear space for a World Cup-related project tied to Arlington, Texas, where nine matches will be played.
Wyland argues the move violated the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990, which protects artists’ rights over publicly displayed work.
The mural covered two sides of a downtown Dallas building, stood 82 feet high and 164 feet wide at its broadest point, and had been a local fixture for nearly 30 years.
“Ocean Life” was one of 103 murals Wyland created worldwide to promote marine-life and ocean-conservation awareness, giving the dispute broader significance beyond Dallas.

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