Sculptor Ganni Bonnici's Anzac Memorial at the Argotti Botanical Gardens in Floriana has been immortalized on an Australia Post prepaid postal stationery envelope. The envelope shows the memorial in its entirety and the bronze figures are highlighted separately on the imprinted postage stamp. The photography was taken by Renee Figallo while the design of the envelope was done by Sharon Rodziewicz.
Ganni Bonnici is one of the dominating figures in Maltese sculpture who made a name for himself throughout the years with monuments such as the Independence Monument in Floriana as well as a large number of religious statues all over Malta and Gozo. He was the first man to bring ceramic art to Malta, the first to design and make medals on the island, the first man to study art after WWII and he also designed one of the official commemorative Papal medals.
The back of the envelope gives details about the memorial's inauguration on 25 May 2013, saying that Mr Bonnici's work expresses the "human pathos during the Gallipoli Campaign in the First World War", as artist and designer Alfred Caruana Ruggier wrote in his extensive article on the subject.
Mr Caruana Ruggier further explained how, "Many died from their injuries with a good number of bodies being repatriated to their home countries. More than two hundred and seventy soldiers were however buried in Malta."
The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. It was formed in Egypt in 1915, and operated during the Battle of Gallipoli. General William Birdwood commanded the corps, which comprised troops from the First Australian Imperial Force and 1st New Zealand Expeditionary Force. The corps disbanded in 1916, following the Allied evacuation of the Gallipoli peninsula and the formation of I ANZAC Corps and II ANZAC Corps.
In a book entitled 'Malta and the Anzacs - The Nurse of the Mediterranean', Mr Bonnici's memorial is shown in a full page illustration. This is most notably due to the fact that this particular memorial is the only Anzac Memorial which is outside of Australia.
Mr Bonnici was one of six entries in a competition to choose the design of the monument. As explained by Mr Caruana Ruggier, "It expresses human suffering without images recalling war or weapons. It is a heroic symbol of those who defended and gave their lives for their countries."
The monument itself shows two figures, one male and the other female, with pleading open arms depicting a struggle for survival while, at the same time, awakening a spirit of victory. The base features the names of the Anzac soldiers which were buried in Malta.
Ganni Bonnici is also a notable figure in the world of philatelists or, in layman's terms, stamp collectors. His work has been featured on stamps in Malta since 1985 and his designs have won first and third place in the International Vote-A-Stamp Referendum and Contest.
One of Mr Bonnici's stamps showing the three wise men, was actually reproduced in 23 carat gold foil as a British private local stamp by the owner of Staffa, an island in Scotland with no official postal service. According to Mr Caruana Ruggier, "They were permissible under British law and used in payment for the service of private delivery from Staffa up to the official Post Office on the island of Mull.
His memorials and ceramic figures are also featured on the highest value stamps in Malta in 1991 and 2006 respectively.