Florida-based artist Robert Wyland has filed a $25 million federal lawsuit against FIFA, Slate Asset Management, and 3PZ Property Company after his mural *Ocean Life* (1999) was painted over in May 2026 at 505 N Akard Street in Dallas. The eight-story-high, 17,000-square-foot mural, part of Wyland's global Whaling Wall series, depicted endangered humpback whales and dolphins and was destroyed ahead of World Cup games hosted in Dallas. Wyland alleges the destruction violates his rights under the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 (VARA), claiming he was never contacted for permission, while the city of Dallas contends he was asked.
This case matters because it tests the strength of VARA, a federal law protecting artists' moral rights, in a high-profile context involving a major international sporting event. The outcome could set a precedent for how public artworks are treated when cities or corporations seek to remove them for redevelopment or promotional purposes. It also highlights ongoing tensions between conservationist public art and commercial or event-driven interests, as Wyland's mural was created to raise awareness about marine pollution and had been a beloved Dallas landmark for 25 years.