Walking through piazza Carmelo Ganci (the vast road junction that connects Viale Tica, Via Reimann, Via von Platen and Via Politi Laudien) only a few stop to observe the Monumento ai Caduti e Invalidi sul Lavoro (Monument to the Fallen and Disabled at Work), placed in 2002 at the behest of the then Mayor Bufardeci and ANMIL (Associazione Nazionale Mutilati ed Invalidi del Lavoro).
The work is intended to recall the hard work and the pain with which many workers, sacrificing part of themselves, have contributed to the development and human, cultural and economic growth of the Syracuse territory.
The sculptor from Syracuse, Giovanni Garipoli, was called upon to carry it out. He is also the author of the sculpture dedicated to the fallen for institutional service, now located in Piazza Leonardo da Vinci.
This sculptural work is more than just a Monument to the Fallen, it aims to represent the civil value of work and the suffering that it implies.
Each element of the work has its own precise meaning, representing the nakedness of the figures as a metaphor for their vulnerability.
The sphere, composed of seven crossed brass bands, represents the different production units. The male figure, with his left hand outstretched towards the sphere, indicates the attraction that the world of labour exerts on humanity, while his right hand covers his face as if to protect himself from possible dangers. The female figure, on the opposite side, is almost overwhelmed by the weight of work and family: the price that the working woman pays to keep her role in the family and society. The child turns his back on the world of work unknown to him. In this way, he seems to be urging adults to ensure that the new generations are protected and better safeguarded from the pitfalls of the world of labour. The base of the bronze group, the circular platform, also has its own meaning: it indicates the continuous succession of generations of workers and, unfortunately, also of accidents.
