The "Panta of Tempi" in Pyrgetos villageIn Pyrgetos, Larissa, at the village’s sports field, a piece of graffiti stands out not only for its artistic expression but also for the profound message it carries. It is the “Panda of Tempi,” a large-scale visual artwork created in the summer of 2025 as part of the 2nd Kato Olympus Festival, dedicated to the 57 souls who were lost in the Tempi railway tragedy.
The artwork draws inspiration from the Greek folk tradition of pantes — the embroidered textiles that once adorned homes, depicting scenes of daily life, nature, as well as myths and symbolic motifs. With respect for this tradition, the creators of the mural (the ETK team – Ekdoseis tou Kampou – Project IppoKampos) “translate” folk art into the language of the street: instead of threads, they use spray paint; instead of fabric, a wall; and instead of everyday scenes, they narrate one of the most painful moments in contemporary Greek history. The “Panda of Tempi” is not merely another local attraction. It is a place where art meets memory, where the present connects with tradition, and where local communities interact with a nationwide tragedy. For visitors, it is a deeply moving experience — a work that speaks without words, just like the old embroidered pantes in our grandmothers’ homes.The artwork and its narrativeThe mural is divided into three sections, functioning like chapters of a woven story: The Journey, The Collision, The Mourning.Image Left section – The JourneyA blue sky and a white dove open the narrative. The IC62 train appears full of passengers, moving through a bright Thessalian landscape. Among them is a moment that marked many testimonies: the SMS “MAMA I WILL BE LATE”, a message sent just seconds before the collision.Image Central section – The CollisionHere, the scene transforms into myth. The two locomotives form the heads of dragons, as if lifted from oral traditions, while the flames create symmetrical motifs reminiscent of an icon. Within the smoke appear expressionless faces, the souls of the victims. The clock-tomb shows the time of the tragedy and bears the inscription “57 SOULS”, while below it flows the Pinios River.Image Right section – The MourningThe sky darkens. A black bird flies among the stars, against the backdrop of Mount Olympus and Kissavos. Women dressed in mourning and a man with a black armband hold photographs of the victims, while a young girl lights a candle. All of them are tearful. Beside her, a flower drops a petal — black as well, like a tear. The whole universe seems to mourn.Surrounding the entire scene, floral borders and geometric patterns frame the mural, echoing the embroidered pantes found in Greek homes.Image A monument of folk art and remembranceToday, the “Panta of Tempi” stands as a heavily emotional memorial, visible to every passerby. Visitors from the region and beyond stop to photograph it, to pause for a moment, and to reflect. The work is not just graffiti; it is a folk form of remembrance, a contemporary weaver that captures collective grief and transforms a wall into a living narrative.As the dedication reads:“The Panta of Tempi. Fabric and wall, a folk art of memory that takes shape to stay alive and to speak.”The contributorsConcept / Composition: Melandros – Ekdoseis tou KampouDesign: Apo Ken (@apoken)Scientific guidance: Fani Kalokairinou (@fanikalokairinou)Execution: RezòRelated TagsTEMPI - The Enchanted Valley,OLYMPUS - Thessaly’s Calm Power,
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