This thought-provoking painting juxtaposes a weathered rural structure, overtaken by lush greenery, against the hazy silhouette of a collapsing industrial framework resembling Vladimir Tatlin’s visionary, never-constructed modernist tower. Tatlin’s Tower, a Constructivist project of the early 20th century, was intended to symbolize modernity through its towering spiral of iron, glass, and steel, envisioned to dwarf the Eiffel Tower and to function as a rotating monument of progress. Its bold design embodied industrial ambition, innovation, and the promise of a new era.

By contrasting the village hut—a humble yet enduring symbol of tradition and heritage—with the imagined remains of Tatlin’s unrealized modernist dream, Podgórski creates a dialogue between history and renewal. The overgrown hut becomes a metaphor for resilience and a refuge within the timeless values of the past, suggesting that amidst the ruins of failed industrial and modernist aspirations, humanity can find solace in tradition, harmony with nature, and the enduring strength of cultural heritage. This composition challenges viewers to reflect on the balance between progress and preservation, innovation and identity.

Malwina Łuczyńska