The graffiti, painted on the side of a three-storey building on the corner of Marrickville Lane, depicts a female figure associated with Estia, goddess of family in Ancient Greece.
And ‘filotimo’ – commonly referred to as a Greek untranslatable word – is the central inscription.
Created by artist Ox King, the mural was commissioned by the Inner West city council as part of the ‘Perfect Match’ program.
The initiative links artists with businesses, property owners and community for creative expression and art to be displayed in public places.
Across 2020-21, Sydney's Inner West Council commissioned a number of new street artworks as part of the Perfect Match program. Source: Stergos Kastelloriou/SBS Greek
How does it work? Property owners register their interest in having their wall beautified, artists submit their ideas, and under council coordination the matchmaking process begins till the ‘Perfect Match’ is found. *
A tribute to the area’s large Greek population – Marrickville being the suburb where thousands postwar migrants set up their new home – the mural also bears a ‘Patris’ inscription.
It also features a ‘Freedom 1821 or Death’ moto referencing the Greek War of Independence anniversary.
As part of this year’s bicentenary celebrations, the Inner West council voted in favour of renaming the precinct on Marrickville Road between Livingstone Road and Victoria Road, as “Little Greece”.
And while the special event scheduled was cancelled due to COVID-19, a Greek flag was flying over the Marrickville Town Hall for a week in celebration of the new name.
“I hope that in another 50 years our grandchildren will still be coming to Marrickville to eat Greek food, learn the Greek language and practice Greek culture,” then Inner West Mayor, Darcy Byrne had said.
