23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Soviet Futurism in Decay

This photograph was taken inside the former Palace of Culture for aviation workers in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The interior reflects a decaying vision of Soviet futurism—angular geometry, industrial textures, and the remnants of ideological optimism now faded by time. The scene evokes a retro-futuristic atmosphere reminiscent of post-Soviet aesthetics and the visual tone of Atomic Heart, where utopian ambition meets the raw reality of abandonment.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 08.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Camera: NIKON Z 30
Copyright: © Nanncie Zhu