Robert Wyland responds to his Mural of Whale painted over in Dallas for the World cup with a lawsuit!!!!: see below

I met Robert  Wyland while he was painting a mural in Southern California. I think we were in Laguna. Wyland is  Noted for his "100 Whale Paintings" painted as murals. We were both fairly young. Wyland's passion for the environment, and  whales matched my own. For 30 or so years we would run into each other at art Fairs and events. IT was great to see Wyland grew in stature. In reading that his mural had been painted over for a world cup event I was dumbstruck. This was just wrong in my opinion. This week I was delighted to see Robert Wyland is suing the removal of his mural. See the below google search results: 

As per  a google search summary. : The Lawsuit: Filed in the U.S. District Court in Dallas, the suit alleges that defendants violated the federal Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 (VARA), which grants artists legal rights to protect recognized public artwork from intentional destruction or alteration without prior notice or the artist's written consent( NYtimes )

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/02/us/dallas-whale-mural-wyland-lawsuit-fifa-world-cup-texas.html

 Photo image: Julio Cortez (Associated Press)

I searched Posts Statement on Instagram: 

wylandfoundation

 

Painted in 1999, Whaling Wall #82 in downtown Dallas holds a unique history. Its initial unveiling was accompanied by a huge Texan celebration remembered fondly by Dallasites. Famously, Hersel Walker joined to dedicate this mural, marking its completion and significance to the city. 💙

Regarding this piece, @wyland said, "There aren’t whales in Dallas, but my whole concept with the project was to connect even landlocked cities to the ocean. We’re all connected to the sea, so if people see the beauty in nature, they’ll work to protect it and preserve it." 💬

We aren't sure exactly when it happened, but sadly, advertisers covered the massive whales with a large-scale ad. Whaling Wall #82 remained hidden until April 2020, when the pandemic shrunk budgets for these huge outdoor ads. Much to the delight of Dallas residents, the mural re-emerged from behind the advertisement and cemented its place as one of the city's hidden gems. 💎

You can find this mural at the Texas Utilities Building at 505 Akard Street in downtown Dallas. 🏙

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