“The 58 Nails in Tempi is no more,’ said Greek artist Giorgos Koftis in a social media post on December 28, sparking public anger and discontent. The post included a recent photo of the site where his artwork, 58 Nails in Tempi,—a tribute to the victims of the Tempi train disaster—had once stood, revealing that the installation was missing.


Koftis, who created the symbolic installation to honor the survivors, victims, and families of the February 28, 2023 tragedy that claimed 57 lives, discovered its removal during his visit at the site for its scheduled maintenance. Upon arriving at the site, he found no trace of the artwork except for a few of its metal pipes discarded a few meters away.

Speaking on Mega TV’s show “Exelixeis Tora”, Koftis stated that he had not received any official communication about the removal. “I spoke with the police, and they told me they were heading there. Some statements have been made about when it might have happened. The artwork must have been there at least until December 15. We’ll likely find out more soon,” he said, adding that he had filed a lawsuit and informed the victims’ families.

The installation, located about 500 meters from the site of the tragic accident, consisted of 58 metal pipes, each standing 2 to 2.5 meters tall. It symbolized the 57 victims, with the 58th pipe dedicated to the families and survivors still grappling with the trauma. Koftis installed the monument nearly a year ago as a poignant reminder of the collective trauma caused by the disaster.

Upon its unveiling, Koftis had addressed the victims and their families through his social media account:
“First of all, we want to tell the children and the relatives of the victims of the Tempi tragedy that there is no one who does not remember. No one has forgotten you. We are here every day, and we want to express our support and solidarity with you and your loved ones. This work is dedicated to the memory of the victims, to you, and to the survivors who continue to live with their trauma… Greece now carries an open wound in its heart, with nails driven deep into it.”

The removal of “58 Nails in Tempi” comes just two months before the second anniversary of the tragedy and has reignited public outrage, drawing parallels to another incident. During the first anniversary of the disaster, people inscribed the names of the victims in red paint in front of the Monument of the ‘Unknown Soldier’. Athens municipal cleaners, sparking widespread criticism, promptly erased the names.

In his interview with Mega TV, Koftis noted that the removal of the artwork has fueled anger across social media, with many decrying the action as disrespectful. He emphasized that public outrage surrounding the Tempi tragedy goes beyond the removal of the artwork itself.

Among the reactions circulating online were statements such as, “The memories of the Tempi tragedy cannot be erased in any way.”