ArtNews<\/a> reported on Monday, May 18, confirmation that the artist intends to sue whomever is deemed responsible, and that he is \u201cconfident the artwork is protected under the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA) of 1990,\u201d which grants protections to artists against their works being intentionally destroyed. Section 4 of the VARA act<\/a> specifically addresses \u201cRemoval of visual artworks from buildings,\u201d offering the artist protections against \u201cdestruction, distortion, mutilation, or other modification of the work\u201d and requiring \u201ca diligent, good faith attempt\u201d to notify the artist in advance of such actions.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the owner of the Texas Utilities Building, Toronto-based Slate Asset Management, told Glasstire that the company was approached by Downtown Dallas, Inc.<\/a> (DDI), a development group, and the North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee<\/a> in March 2026 with a request to donate the wall for a new public art installation to be completed by a local Dallas artist. The spokesperson said that the company was told by the Dallas organizations that Mr. Wyland had been notified, and explained that Slate is not being compensated in any way for the use of the wall space.<\/p>\n Jennifer Scripps, DDI President & CEO, sent the following statement to Glasstire:\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cDDI participated in early conversations surrounding Whaling Wall #82 and introduced the North Texas FIFA World Cup Host Committee to the property owners. DDI did not commission, fund, or manage this project. DDI welcomes the North Texas FWC Organizing Committee\u2019s efforts to commission a local Dallas artist, creating an exciting opportunity to highlight emerging talent and contribute new public art to the city.\u201d<\/p>\n Glasstire contacted members of the North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee but did not receive a response prior to publication.\u00a0<\/p>\n According to the artist\u2019s website<\/a>, the Whaling Walls project \u2014 completed over a 17-year period from 1981 to 2008 \u2014 \u201cremains one of the largest public arts projects in history and continues to be seen by an estimated one billion people each year.\u201d<\/p>\n Comments on a WFAA News<\/a> social media post about the mural\u2019s removal included one person advocating for a \u201cvocal outcry\u201d and questioning whether a temporary vinyl covering could have been used for the FIFA mural, and another commenter lamenting, \u201cFor nearly 30 years, Wyland\u2019s whales gave Dallas a soul beyond glass, concrete, and advertising.\u201d<\/p>\n The Fox4 News report stated that since controversy over the removal of the mural has emerged, a side wall presenting a small portion of the original Ocean Life mural will be kept intact.<\/p>\n Details of the new FIFA mural have not been provided by DDI or the FIFA organizing committee, including how long the mural will remain following the conclusion of the nine upcoming FIFA World Cup matches slated for Dallas<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/whaling-wall-600x485.jpg\")
<\/a>The Texas Utilities Building in downtown Dallas, with most of a mural by artist Robert Wyland painted over. Photo: Jessica Fuentes<\/p>\n