Crews have begun painting over one of downtown Dallas’ most recognizable public artworks to make way for a new mural tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, prompting disappointment from residents and the artist who created the original piece.
The mural, officially titled Ocean Life, spans two sides of a building at 505 N. Akard St. and measures roughly 164 feet long and 82 feet high. Marine artist and conservationist Robert Wyland painted the work in 1999 as part of his nationwide “Whaling Walls” project aimed at promoting ocean conservation awareness.
The Dallas mural was the 82nd installation in Wyland’s series of 100 large-scale murals created across the country through the Wyland Foundation.
Residents and downtown workers who visited the site this week described the mural as a longtime fixture of the city’s landscape.
“It was something beautiful in the middle of a concrete jungle,” said Ray Hostetler, who said he often passed the mural while walking to the Katy Trail, per NBC 5 DFW.
Others said they were surprised to see blue paint covering portions of the artwork.
“I was a little disappointed to see just blue paint going up,” Wally Waites, who works nearby, told NBC 5. “I hope that there is something spectacular planned in its place.”
Photographer Mark Levine, who said he had documented the mural for years, called the loss significant.
“No matter what they put up, something is lost that’s just never coming back again,” Levine said, per NBC 5.
Wyland told Fox 4 KDFW that he was “blindsided” by the decision and said he was not personally consulted before work began. He said Ocean Life was among his favorite murals and held special meaning to him.
For years, much of the mural had been obscured by large outdoor advertisements that were later removed during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing the artwork to become fully visible again.
With the Dallas mural now covered, the only remaining Whaling Wall in Texas is the Orcas off the Gulf of Mexico on South Padre Island, unveiled in 1994.
Officials said the new artwork will celebrate Dallas’ role as a host city partner for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
A spokesperson for the North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee said the project is being completed in partnership with Slate Asset Management, which owns the building.
The organization said it “recognize[s] the cultural and historical significance of Robert Wyland’s Whaling Wall 82” and added that “a portion of the original mural will remain preserved as a tribute to its lasting impact on the city,” NBC 5 reported.
The statement also said organizers look forward to unveiling “a new piece that captures this current historical moment and reflects the energy, unity, and global spirit surrounding the World Cup 2026 this summer.”
Officials said additional details about the mural are expected next week.
Reaction online has also been critical, with some Dallas residents describing the whales as an iconic part of the city’s identity.
“Those whales are iconic,” one commenter wrote, per Fox 4. “They’ve been around for as long as I could remember!”
“Booooo,” another wrote. “Bring back the whales.”
“The Wyland Whale wall, completed in ’99 in downtown Dallas, is being painted over for a FIFA ad. The ghouls who are destroying this city should be tarred and feathered,” commented X user Joel Montfort.
Photos of all 100 of the original Whaling Wall murals can be found on the Wyland Foundation website.
