We will not let it happen again! 1990

Created in 1990 by artist E. Tsvik, this poster is a striking late-Soviet reflection on the legacy of totalitarianism. The image portrays a colossal red figure resembling Stalin, built entirely out of bricks with rows of small prison-like windows covering the body, symbolizing the enormous machinery of repression he created. The towering perspective makes the figure feel overwhelming and oppressive. At the top, the slogan reads “We will not let it happen again!” («Не дадим повториться!»), warning society against ever returning to such terror. Sadly, nowadays Putin, like Stalin was, has become a new killer-dictator, proving that the warning went unheeded and that history has repeated itself. The poster now feels even more relevant as a reminder of how easily authoritarianism can rise again.