Monument to Something That Never Happened

The Monument to Something That Never Happened is a sculpture by Wilhelm Sasnal in Tarnów's Mościce district, between Chemiczna Street and the Tarnów Mościce railway station. It was unveiled on 28 August 2010.

What it depicts

The work consists of 14 concrete sewer rings stacked in a pyramid and covered with tar or asphalt. It is about 4 metres high. On one of the rings is the date 28.03.1983, denoting a threat that never materialised.

Where the idea came from

The sculpture refers to the fears of the residents of Mościce before 1989. According to the artist they arose from the proximity of the chemical works, that is the Nitrogen Works, and from rumours that American missiles were aimed at this industrially important site. The work shows an alternative vision of the past in which some unspecified disaster did happen after all.

Place and reception

Sasnal deliberately placed the work on the periphery, hoping that in time it would become overgrown and forgotten, like a temporary work. Some residents see in it a pile of building materials, but the sculpture has gained recognition in academic and cultural circles.

Practical information

• Place: Tarnów-Mościce, on ul. Chemiczna, next to the Tarnów Mościce station.
• The monument stands in a public space, with no charges or visiting hours.