Overview
- Crews covered most of Robert Wyland’s 1999 “Ocean Life” mural on the Texas Utilities Building in downtown Dallas for a World Cup–themed piece, leaving a smaller adjacent panel visible.
- Wyland says he was not asked for permission and his foundation has sent a cease-and-desist letter as they weigh claims under the federal Visual Artists Rights Act.
- The North Texas host committee says it helped pick the wall for a celebratory arts project, calls the process flawed, and says the new work will be by a local artist and not an ad.
- Local reporting says the building owner allowed the mural to be covered, and FIFA says it plans to unveil a new piece before the 2026 tournament in North Texas.
- Residents and public figures, including Kacey Musgraves, criticized the loss of a civic landmark, while Wyland cited an estimated $15 million value and said any settlement money would go to conservation and community causes.