Friz "Metamorphosis"

To mark the upcoming 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Greece and Ireland in 2025, the Irish Embassy in Greece recently unveiled a 16-meter-high mural at the 76th Primary School of Athens in Petralona. The mural features elements from Irish and Greek mythology and was created by renowned Irish muralist FRIZ.

FRIZ, who hails from the city of Sligo, works with both digital and traditional media, using a combination of materials depending on the surface she is working on. Through her work, she explores the history, myths, and folklore that shape the cultural identity of a place. The medium of mural painting allows these stories to be presented as part of the fabric of a place to new generations and told in a contemporary way. Her work tends to present strong female characters and explores our connection with the natural world. Sometimes it is a mirror, sometimes an expectation.

The mural, organized in collaboration with Awesome Athens Experiences, is inspired by the stories of Sadb and Fíonn from Irish mythology and Artemis and Actaeon from Greek mythology. Both myths deal with the theme of transformation. Both Sadb and Actaeon fall victim to magic and are transformed into deer. During the creation of the mural, the sixth-grade students had the opportunity to learn about the meaning behind the work and to create their own version based on the artist's preliminary sketch.

Speaking at the unveiling, Stephen Duffy, Chargé d'affaires of the Embassy of Ireland, said:

"We are very happy to unveil this mural and would like to thank Friz for her fantastic work and the 76th Primary School of Athens for their willingness to participate in this project. The mural depicts the cultural ties between Ireland and Greece and is the first of several events planned to celebrate the upcoming 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Greece and Ireland."

The high-quality, durable acrylic paints were kindly donated by KRAFT paints.