In the wake of the upcoming 2026 World Cup, a renowned conservation artist has voiced his outrage at FIFA and Dallas authorities for erasing his celebrated whale mural, sparking public outcry with country music star Kacey Musgraves among those lamenting the move.
Robert Wyland, an artist famed for his environmental themes and known simply as Wyland, expressed his dismay as his monumental “Ocean Life” mural was unexpectedly replaced with a plain blue canvas this week. Painted over 25 years ago in downtown Dallas, the mural was swapped out for new artwork commissioned by FIFA, yet Wyland insists he was never consulted for this change.
In an interview with FOX 4, Wyland emphatically refuted claims from a North Texas FIFA committee member who alleged they had reached out to discuss replacing his artwork. “That’s a lie with a capital L,” Wyland declared, emphasizing his determination to hold those responsible accountable. “They picked the wrong artist, I can tell you that. 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.”
The mural, painted in 1999, was a striking depiction of six humpback whales traversing an expansive, deep blue ocean, stretching across an 82-foot-high and 164-foot-wide wall in the heart of Dallas. Wyland, whose impressive marine life murals are showcased in cities nationwide, intended the artwork to highlight the environmental impact of urban centers.
The mural, created in 1999, stretched across an 82-foot-high, 164-foot-wide wall in downtown Dallas and featured six humpback whales swimming through deep blue water.
Wyland, whose large-scale marine life murals appear in cities across the US, said the artwork was meant to raise awareness about environmental damage caused by major metropolitan areas.
“At first, it just looks like a beautiful painting of whales,” he said. “It’s more than that. It is really deep.”
The mural was painted over as FIFA prepares to unveil a new World Cup-themed artwork in Dallas, one of the host cities for this summer’s tournament.
“We look forward to unveiling a new piece that captures the current historical moment and reflects the energy, unity, and global spirit surrounding the World Cup 2026 this summer,” FIFA said in a statement.
Wyland disputed suggestions that he had approved the change, insisting that no one connected to FIFA, the city, or the building ownership group had received permission from him or his Wyland Foundation.
The artist also warned the move could spark wider concerns about the protection of public art under the federal Visual Artists Rights Act, which can give artists legal standing when their work is destroyed or altered.
“If they can get away with it, then all the public art in Dallas and all the public art in America is at risk,” he said.
Wyland said he believes the mural was worth roughly $15 million, but that any money from a potential settlement would be donated to communities, conservation efforts and school art programs.
Musgraves, a Texas native, amplified outrage over the move after sharing a report on the mural’s removal.
“This makes me really sad,” she wrote in an Instagram Story. “We suck the soul out of everything.”
Dallas will host nine World Cup matches during the tournament at AT&T Stadium, which will temporarily be renamed “Dallas Stadium” under FIFA rules.
But as the city prepares for one of the biggest sporting events in the world, Wyland said the loss of the mural will not be forgotten.
“We are going to protect the other art in Dallas,” he said.
