Barcelona Photoblog: Labor Sculpture at Catalonia Square, Barcelona

September 30, 2009

Labor Sculpture at Catalonia Square, Barcelona

Labor Sculpture at Catalonia Square, Barcelona [enlarge]

Trabajo, so reads the pedestal under this fabulous sculpture (Miguel Oslé 1929) at Plaça Catalunya. Labor, work, job, occupation, employment...oh, what a beautiful word! To obtain retribution for your services, to work for wages. An activity we tend to complain about specially if monotonous or stressing. We often wonder why the heck we are supposed to devote most of our precious time to matters that apparently are not related to our aspirations in this world. But nevertheless work is a right, it is said to dignify you as a person, to purify your soul in a certain way. As you can see there's not only a philosophical connotation behind the word but also a religious one. Toil gives meaning to life or so they say. It is true that when you are proud of your work there is a certain something inside your mind that says: you are doing right. Our humanity, our civilization, our evolution is tightly linked to work, tools, interaction for the benefit of the group and ourselves as individuals. Consequently, if this is so deep rooted in our nature, so good for the soul, so spiritual and vital for our existence, then how come there is unemployment, how come are we deprived of such rewarding activity? The question is of course rather naive but I can't help feeling baffled by the absurdities of us, "humans". More Wisdom and less capitalism.

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