Wyland takes legal action after Dallas whale mural painted over for FIFA

DALLAS (HawaiiNewsNow) – Marine life artist Wyland is taking legal action after one of his iconic whale murals in Texas was painted over for a FIFA World Cup promotion.

The mural, known as “Ocean Life,” spans eight stories in downtown Dallas and has been on display for nearly 30 years.

Wyland claims the changes violate the federal Visual Artists Rights Act.

Attorneys representing the artist issued a cease-and-desist letter to the property owner, the City of Dallas and FIFA, saying Wyland never approved altering the mural.

“They’re telling people, ‘oh, we reached out to Wyland, we reached out to the Wyland Foundation.’ They did no such thing,” Wyland said. “So it was really disrespectful at every level.”

Organizers previously told a Dallas television station the new mural is meant to celebrate the upcoming FIFA World Cup and that part of the original artwork would remain preserved.