Robert Wyland, the Florida-based artist known for his giant marine murals, is suing Fifa for $25m (£18m) after his 82ft-tall mural 'Ocean Life' in Dallas, Texas, was painted over to make way for a World Cup promotion. Wyland, who changed his name legally to just 'Wyland', said he was shocked when his assistant told him the mural had been covered without his knowledge or consent.
The mural, which had stood for nearly 30 years, was one of Wyland's favourites. He had planned to touch it up, but instead found it had been 'blue-washed' to prepare for a new mural promoting the 2026 Fifa World Cup. Wyland's team filed a cease and desist, then a lawsuit seeking damages for the destruction of his work.
Wyland described the legal battle as 'David and Goliath', saying: 'They are a multibillion-dollar organisation, and I am a single artist with a small foundation. But they picked the wrong artist and the wrong artwork.' The case has sparked debate about the ownership and importance of public art.
Wyland, 69, is famous for his 'whaling walls' – large murals of ocean life painted worldwide. He painted his first in 1981 in Laguna Beach, California, and has since completed 100 murals across 17 countries. The Dallas mural was among his most prominent, and its removal has caused widespread outcry in the city.
