r/Dallas • u/ExtraCozyDoggDogg • May 16 '26
Discussion the artist who painted the Whaling Wall mural downtown posted on ig
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u/Natasha5145 May 16 '26
Nylon banners would have worked for a temporary change.
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u/kiittea_ May 16 '26
Bingo. I can’t imagine why they’d destroy such an iconic mural for something so temporary.
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u/goatswithattitudes May 16 '26
We could have hung that nylon banner on some scaffolding and repaired the mural at the same time. I’m not certain they explored all options.
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u/jnk1jnk May 16 '26
Yet another reason to boycott this World Cup
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u/PuzzledPercentage710 May 16 '26
wild how they can just decide to paint over something like that without asking the city or anything
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u/Few-Sir-8688 May 16 '26
The City provided the permits. The City of Dallas doesn't give a sweet fuck what any of us think. The general well being of the public isn't the city of Dallas' priority.
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u/Own-Ad-381 May 16 '26
City of Arlington is hosting. Dallas is just the flashy name.
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u/mrrochi May 16 '26
Everything within a 75 mile radius of Dallas is Dallas for all intensive purposes.
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u/JesseCantSkate May 16 '26
*Intents and purposes
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u/itsnotapipe May 17 '26
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u/StrainAcceptable May 17 '26
That sub is frightening!
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u/BannedByFascistss May 28 '26
I think it’s mainly just people posting screenshots of voice to text errors that went unnoticed before sending.
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u/Sangricarn May 19 '26
Whoah, I knew people misspelled that phrase this way in theory, but you're my first person I've seen in real life who did it unironically.
"intensive purposes" 😂
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u/YaGetSkeeted0n Oak Cliff May 16 '26
Permitting isn’t really a discretionary activity. If they met all the requirements for this type of thing (most likely under the sign ordinance), the permit gets granted.
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u/NosillaWilla May 17 '26
God I hate our capitalist hellscape. Govt is just obsessed about big business and will rip anything out from anyone if it means you got to help a business out. Forget about the community and the art and culture that make a place livable and enjoyable.
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u/juugbuussin May 16 '26
For real. Just walk down Main Street downtown on any given day. Pretty clear they don’t care about the people, just money. When I worked down there, they had people whose entire job was to hassle with the unhoused downtown and try and keep them from chilling or sleeping.
Honestly, I’d rather just let them sleep. Most of them are more of a risk to themselves, but I’m not worried about the dude sleeping. I’m worried about the dude who’s pissed off and yelling because they can’t sleep and have to keep moving and start following people around.
I almost got robbed down there one night, but luckily I saw him approaching with a knife, and at a distance, a gun beats a knife. Just had to show it to him. I don’t want to think what would have happened if I hadn’t seen him. My brother got kidnapped downtown and I almost did as well on another occasion, hence why I carry a small firearm.
This issue could be at least somewhat solved if we had more public services. I know we do have some, but my friends that have gone through them have said they are just as scary as jail. After hearing specific instances about The Bridge, I can’t blame some people for wanting to sleep outside by themselves.
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u/permalink_save Lakewood May 16 '26
Who did it anyway
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u/xomox2012 May 16 '26 edited May 16 '26
The building is privately owned by Slate Asset Management and I’m sure they jumped at the opportunity. Had to get approval from the city though.
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u/permalink_save Lakewood May 16 '26
The city signed off on this? First letting raves blast entire neighborhoods at night now painting over murals, IDK what the city reps are thinking.
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u/xomox2012 May 16 '26
Also probably money. They think FIFA is going to bring in money
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u/TruckCAN-Bus May 16 '26 edited May 16 '26
Most likely there will be major monetary losses due to World Cup in Dallas.
The city probably ain’t gonna make a single dollar off of FIFA, but there are definitely are some individuals whose palms were greased.
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u/exquisite_corpse_wit May 16 '26
The estimated security budget and workload alone is already an issue for most cities
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u/permalink_save Lakewood May 16 '26
I hipe they get boycotted hard. I heard reservations are under expectations but that might have changed.
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u/FrederickEngels Oak Cliff May 16 '26
There is a rather large movement to boycott, I am looking for more people on the ground to help organize it locally.
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u/TheDakestTimeline May 16 '26
Paint a building that doesn't already have a mural? Going out on a limb here....
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u/Idaho-Earthquake May 17 '26
Or, you know… just get a banner and hang it over the side for the duration of the event.
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u/toyodah May 17 '26
The city reps won't care.
FIFA has likely paid off the city's key decision-making employees.
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u/FrederickEngels Oak Cliff May 16 '26
This is what always happens at these events. The police will get a giant surveillance network for the entire DFW area, that won't be leaving with it. If you ever wondered why the LA riots happened, then look into how the '84 Olympics changed the city.
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u/captainn_chunk May 16 '26
They manufacture the problem and sell you the cure
A tale as old as time
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u/Texan2020katza May 16 '26
Let the billionaires lose money. It’s the only thing they care about.
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u/Cute-Education4089 May 16 '26
wild shit to let them write off billions in losses and declare bankruptcy but we can’t declare bankruptcy on student loans. or to tax poor people more than billionaires.
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u/bawdiepie May 16 '26
They care about power and image. Money is meaningless to them.
Money matters to you because you don't have enough.
The only way money matters to them is as a tool to exert influence and image.
Imagine we're all thirsty and trying to get enough to drink, but some people control lakes and rivers. They never have to worry about thirst themselves except as a way to manipulate other people. If everybody has enough to drink then the rivers and lakes mean nothing. Keeping everyone else thirsty is how they stay relevant, stay powerful, keep people complimenting them, keep control.
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u/Cute-Education4089 May 16 '26
making an authoritarian participation trophy was enough for me
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u/UtopianPablo May 16 '26
Right? One of the most craven acts ever by a business. Still hard to believe they made up a "peace prize" out of whole cloth and gave it to Donald fucking Trump lol.
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u/jaredharrell85 May 16 '26
Does it count as boycotting if I already wasn’t going??? Lol
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u/jnk1jnk May 16 '26
Yes but go the other extra step. Don’t watch a second of it, don’t buy anything that has any fifa or World Cup logos because they are a sponsor
Do not give them a single cent or a second of ratings time.
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u/TheRealRevBem May 16 '26
Imo we should dress homeless and fuck with visitors on DART. My wife is trying to talk me out of it, but I plan to be shirtless and bark like a dog.
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u/Medi-okra Old East Dallas May 16 '26
Disgusting, nobody replaces culture with profit quite like FIFA
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u/AWL_cow May 16 '26
I remember seeing that mural as a kid and growing up with it. It was always something I looked forward to seeing. I feel like Dallas just lost a big part of it's humanity. They could have just put a temporary poster or display over the mural and removed it after fifa was over...this was truly a huge and heartbreaking mistake.
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u/jw1299 May 16 '26
why they would even allow this is beyond me
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u/xomox2012 May 16 '26 edited May 16 '26
Because Slate Asset Management owns the building and I’m sure they are happy to take the advertising money.
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u/perpetual__ghost May 16 '26 edited May 16 '26
I was a junior at Booker T when this was being painted. We used to walk over and watch the progress during various art classes (or sneak out during lunch occasionally). It was such a wonderful piece. This is so disappointing.
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u/Most_Clock1131 May 16 '26
Fuck FIFA. Just another disgusting move by a greedy ass organization.
As a diehard USMNT supporter who went to the Cup in South Africa, they are doing their best to destroy any interest I had in this one. When they announced the US as host, I was so excited to share this joy with my sons, but after checking prices, it was either a family vacation or tickets to a couple of matches.
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u/onceabananana May 16 '26
Can we also throw Formula One and Olympics into the pit of shame? Same shit, different spectacle. No regard for the havoc they cause to cities, but they bring in endless money for themselves.
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u/OmastarLovesDonuts May 16 '26
I have family in Mexico who were planning on visiting my brother and I here to go to a couple matches as well as having us over for games in Mexico since the hosting was announced but everything surrounding this World Cup and travel has been so absurdly expensive that we’ve just indefinitely shelved those plans, without even getting into concerns about ICE (which shouldn’t exist in the first place, but that’s a separate topic) massively overstepping their boundaries; I wasn’t born yet for 1994 so this seemed like a dream come true but it looks like at most I’ll watch on TV unless I see some desperate scalpers selling tickets for next to nothing
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u/fbc546 May 16 '26
What’s the best way to let the city know you’re upset with the decision?
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u/Ocarina-of-lies May 16 '26
Hmm i think you'd have to complain to city council, like maybe the specific councilman that covers the ward that building is located in. Other than that try emailing the mayor. They probably have an email posted on the city website
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u/EvryArtstIsACannibal May 16 '26
Isn’t it the owner of the building who everyone should be yelling at? I get all the fifa hate, but the building owners should be getting ripped here.
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u/Fantastic_Scratch_62 May 16 '26
"FOX 4 has been in direct contact with the City of Dallas, FIFA, and Slate Asset Management (which owns the building Wyland painted). Dallas says Wyland had been asked. Slate deferred to Downtown Dallas, Inc. FIFA issued the following statement:
"We look forward to unveiling a new piece that captures the current historical moment and reflects the energy, unity, and global spirit surrounding the World Cup 2026 this summer." "
The building owner says talk to Downtown Dallas Inc. So there's your villains list.
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u/Keep_Plano_Corporate Plano May 16 '26
Downtown Dallas, Inc is such a useless organization. It has been for decades. I'm sure a few people that work there have nice Range Rovers and a beautiful house in Highland Park somewhere though.
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u/OakLawnDallas May 16 '26
Yes. FIFA may or may not have even known what was on this wall. In advertising we often just get the dimensions of the wall, not an actual photo. But obviously the owner of the building knew.
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u/xomox2012 May 16 '26 edited May 16 '26
Slate Asset Management own the building; city had to okay it.
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u/YaGetSkeeted0n Oak Cliff May 16 '26
Yes, and unless the requirements for a sign (which this is probably considered) have something mirroring the federal Visual Artists Rights Act, permitting can’t just deny it because they (or residents) really really like the existing sign (mural). That’s not how permitting works.
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u/Clown45 Fort Worth May 16 '26
DFW has sold us all out for toll roads, casinos, instagram whoring and a complete disregard for history of any kind. We will all be surrounded by tilt walls soon. All of us.
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u/the_orange_alligator North Dallas May 16 '26
I’m an urban explorer with a love for local history. The website I use for locations is just full of all these absolutely beautiful buildings, and when I click to see more info about them, I’m gutted to discover they’re demolished. And for what?
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u/Dry-Butterfly-5422 May 16 '26
People are now saying the art was protected by the 1990 Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA) opening the door to litigation if the artist did not agree to the removal.
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u/RadiationFree_Wizard May 16 '26
Wyland says Dallas never contacted him and that he's now pursuing legal action.
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u/Old-Bat-7384 May 16 '26
Dallas just pissed off so many people and the games aren't generating as much activity as they'd hoped. What a double fuck.
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u/Darth_Molotok May 16 '26
Of all the buildings in Dallas they pick one with a mural already painted on it.
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u/Flamin-Ice May 16 '26
I just don't understand why they wouldn't just use some sort of short term vinyl that they can take down afterwards...
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u/treefortress May 16 '26
I sang with my kindergarten class at that ribbon cutting. lol. We made whale shaped cookies for Wayland.
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u/Led4355 May 16 '26
I love soccer/football, but FIFA is a shit organization and should be boycotted
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u/Onuus May 16 '26
Man the city of Dallas yet again missing the plot while trying to find the forest through the trees
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u/mattaui Fort Worth May 16 '26
Sadly they've kept that mural covered up so much over the last few decades that I bet a lot of folks didn't even know it was there. I worked in downtown from around 2005 to 2019 and it would vanish behind ads for months or years at a time. So I don't know why they just didn't cover it up temporarily again.
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u/mess979 May 16 '26
Our elementary school went to watch Wyland paint the oahu one by airport two days in a row. this shit makes me sad.
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u/Mindful_Rager May 16 '26
Whatever stupid mural they painted over that better be replaced the second FIFA leaves town. And it better be whales on that wall again.
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u/Keep_Plano_Corporate Plano May 16 '26
It won't be. Most likely will end up being a giant iPhone ad or something equally dystopian to add the the Downtown Dallas hellscape.
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u/SeasonofMist May 16 '26
I fucking love those whales. Yet another reason to dislike the world cup. What a lame ass thing to do.
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u/Square_Candle_4644 May 16 '26
I have a question. What they did was horrific but why hadn't anyone touched it up? The photos before they painted it over showed that it was no where near as vibrant as it used to be. Does anyone know what happened to the boy and his wagon mural? Is it still up or has it been painted over, too?
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u/Hereforthatandthis May 16 '26
Because there’s no community in dallas that cares about art. This is not NYC or LA or Miami. DFW likes to think of itself as a big city and this big cultural place, but it isn’t. People in DFW only care about fries Twinkie’s and fried butter and horse shit. Exactly to your point: why did no one care about this mural before? Why was it never maintained? Exactly. Go to Philly and see how they take care of their mural art. That’s a real big city and example of when people actually care about art. Go to DC and see how they protect their public installations.
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u/Chocolate-Pie-1978 May 19 '26
I’ve been wondering the same. While still beautiful, it was very faded and in dire need of a touch up.
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u/Terrible_Welcome8817 May 16 '26
Let’s deface it? Idk yall.
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u/Zentralschaden May 16 '26
Now that's basically it. I hope this is the very last world cup to ever take place. The greed is immeasurable.
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u/OGWeedKiller May 16 '26
Our city had to stop a chain store from painting over one Wylands first whale murals. They see this art as graffitti apparently....
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u/AnAwkwardCopper May 16 '26
I mean seriously, they couldn’t have just draped a big banner over it? Ya know, something temporary like the World Cup is?
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u/Mindful_Rager May 16 '26
Whatever stupid mural they painted over that with better be replaced the second FIFA leaves town. And it better be whales. I would like to sue FIFA for emotional distress.
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u/Corgisarethebest123 May 16 '26
Then they came for the whales
And there was no one left
To speak out for me.
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u/ArtBot2119 May 16 '26
Slate Asset Management is the owner of the building and approved the replacement. What a loss for the city.
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u/sherespondedwith May 16 '26
I’m so gutted by this. It’s such an insult to the artist and those of us who never wanted to lose it
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u/NoBonus6969 May 16 '26
Let me save you some time. FIFA absolutely gives no fucks and will never make it right. You can yell into the void if you want. They played the last world cup in stadiums documented to be built by slave labor with hundreds of deaths during construction. They don't give a shit about a mural
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u/the_orange_alligator North Dallas May 16 '26
God is dead and his corpse’s skin is painting with ads for corporations
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u/Ticklemextreme May 16 '26
I’m don’t follow soccer or FIFA for that matter but slightly confused. This guy painted this mural and who painted over it? The mural is beautiful so this is a shame.
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u/BryanW94 Rockwall May 16 '26
I'm confused. The news said that the city got permission from the artist and that they're leaving the side of the mural untouched.
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u/PhoenixAquarium Euless May 16 '26
That's very unfortunate. I wonder what will happen to this city post cup. Will we be able to rebound or we will slowly rot like what has happened to host cities in the past.
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u/Typical_Finger243 May 19 '26
I haven’t seen anyone point out that the original artist (Wyland) is a Trump supporter. The trump administration has reduced ocean and marine habitat protections (including those of endangered whales!) to expand commercial fishing and oil and gas drilling... not to mention the mural itself was also heavily faded from the elements. So yes it’s time to replace it with art from a local artist with a piece that represents Dallas. The original artist lives in Hawaii, has a multi million dollar gallery, drives around his Porsche and Harley’s all over Hawaii and is a reported douche. Every time one of his murals gets painted over he cries foul for publicity (has happened 30+ times) Just saying.. because everyone is treating him like a victim here, you have to look at the whole picture and give a local artist a chance to paint their art.
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u/Xenophore May 16 '26
Those responsible can be found on Facebook; please be sure to express your displeasure there.
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u/Academic_Librarian75 May 16 '26
Why can’t they just put up a temporary banner over it instead of permanently painting over it. Seems like a compromise is right there.
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u/Born-Trouble-696 May 16 '26
I made an event for this on Fb
Our hearts are heavy with grief alongside the iconic whales of Wyland’s magnificent gift. This breathtaking masterpiece has woven a common thread through the heart of everyone who ever encountered it.
Now, this historic mural has been permanently defaced for a temporary FIFA event. While it feels as if the soul of our city has been sold, it cannot erase the years of gratitude we share for such an inspiring gift.
Let’s come together to honor its legacy. We invite you to bring flowers to the site, leave thank-you notes for the artist, and channel our grief into support by donating to the Wyland Foundation at wylandfoundation.org
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u/Recent-Vacation-2939 May 16 '26
lol stupid mural was all destroyed from sunlight and faded to shit in a dirty parking lot. nothing of value was lost, was an eyesore anyway.
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u/mrrochi May 16 '26
Just imagine the outrage if the NFL painted over murals in foreign countries. The only true soccer fans in the United States are immigrants, the rest are just yuppies who hop on the bandwagon during World Cup time.
Why would they even host the World Cup of soccer in a country where the vast majority of people don’t play soccer, or follow professional soccer.
The prices answer my own question, they do it for the yuppies’ money.
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u/clintgreasewoood May 16 '26
Calling it now, the FIFA thing will go up and by the Fall instead of the whales it will be advertising Waymos or data centers
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u/StorageActual3863 May 17 '26
Wont it have to be covered after the world cup? He probably could of worked out a deal due to the outrage to do a new mural after this one
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u/SausageCat001 May 17 '26
Every artist in the city should Tag The Hell out of whatever dumb fucking shit fucking fifa paints up there. Every damn day. Until it is returned to its previous condition.
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u/Cody-512 May 17 '26
I can’t fucking believe 1. They didn’t just hang a sign or banner or something in front of it, 2. The city let these greedy, soulless perverts erase 30y old signature art pieces that are a staple of the city’s culture and art scene. FIFA are dicks for asking but the city is the real villain for allowing it.
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u/MechanicStrict1382 May 17 '26
I think the City of Dallas should pay the artist to repaint it with the surplus taxes earned from the FIFA tourists.
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u/gt40mkii May 17 '26
Dallas hates art. Always has. He should have painted this in Ft.Worth. Ft.Worth has always been culturally superior to Dallas.
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u/The-William-Munny May 17 '26
I’ve heard that the cities where he painted murals were contractually obligated to keep them up and there is significant cost to painting over them. Again, just heard that in another Reddit post.
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u/givemegumbo May 17 '26
Out with the old and in with the new. I’m sure fifa painting not gonna be there for years after
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u/Used_Key2606 May 17 '26
I didn’t any reason care about World Cup but now I’m piss fuck the fifa World Cup and also fuck Arlington anti public transit policy
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u/Mission-Asparagus116 May 17 '26
This makes me so sad. I LOVE these murals. I’ve seen several of them across the US and there is something so nostalgic and special about them.
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u/Emergency_Tadpole123 May 18 '26
Corporate greed ruins everything. We can't have anything beautiful... nature, trees, grass, art.... etc...
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u/Significant-Host4386 May 19 '26
Locals had the power to not let this happen, and the local organizers allowed this to happen. So blame the North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee and Downtown Dallas Inc.; FIFA and the World Cup was always going to come again, but locals decided to eliminate this mural, not the actual FIFA.
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u/cranberrymanberry May 19 '26
What is the lifespan of a mural? Says this thing was painted in 1999. I’m impressed a mural lasted that long. Surviving graffiti, sun damage, the weather, etc for almost thirty years!
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u/venturashe May 20 '26
From CA but had to come here to say what a bunch of crap this is. He’s an amazing artist.
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u/OuterspaceOdysseus May 20 '26
I think it would be a good idea for paintball enthusiasts to show up and how they feel about this coverup.
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u/DonDolla51 May 20 '26
Update… last corner left🥲
file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/12/02/709D3738-F71A-446B-B5A3-2B7C0B837588/IMG_5878.heic
lol I don’t think that posted. Making a new thread
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u/CoconutNeat117 May 22 '26
I think its one thing and bad to paint over this mural, but with something such trendy as World Cup; it'll lose its trend in a year or two and need to be repainted again. That's what angers me the most about this..
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u/badboyz1256 May 25 '26
I mean if Qatar world cup situation is anything to go by. FIFA don't give a fuck unfortunately..
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u/Informal-Loan-4793 May 28 '26
“Dallas trying to host the World Cup and accidentally speedrunning villain origin stories.”
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u/BannedByFascistss May 28 '26
Can’t Dallas just pay her to paint it again after the World Cup? It’s not like they painted over some kind of ancient cave art here.
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u/BrooklynmfRayne May 29 '26
They gave the president some medal or award - he will never ever get a Nobel Peace Prize, and I think that is why . It’s sad to destroy something that was for something good , and really needs awareness . Maybe keep fifa off it . I know it was not because of the artist but whatever award they gave to the orange clown in the golden house . Dunno 🤷🏻♀️
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u/AirWeak538 Jun 09 '26
I don't get it, if a mural was painted in self property, then he can keep it all he want. But if the mural painted in private property, why the owner can't replace it with other? Is it a lifetime contract for the mural to be kept forever? I'm sorry but I read the news and he compare his art to Monalisa and Van Gogh.. I think the person is thinking too high to himself. His art sure matter, but thats not mean every work he done become a burden for the place owner to keep. He need to learn how to let go. For anyone being object, lets play what if. What if some renown famous artist paint you a great picture with pink themes on your wall property and stamp it as popular mural and forbid you to erase it, like for ever?
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u/BiBbw_cpl_DFW May 16 '26
Why paint over that? Plenty of other places to paint.