I have this page of snippets from my sketchbook that I used in this print series titled Pressure in 2023, but which I drew in 2020 while planning out some intaglio prints. I've lived in panel buildings (paneelmaja / хрущёвка / plattenbau) my entire life and I don't really mind it. it's where I feel at home. after childhood, I no longer had aspirations of becoming royalty living in a luxury mansion. that's an ideal we all grow out of.
but some people do still consider it a symbol of poverty or even shame, when frankly, life in blocks of high-density affordable housing is part of the utopian future where we have prevented further climate catastrophy by moving to sustainable living. we should all be getting obnoxious and preachy about struggling with poverty or "symbols" of poverty.
here's a good parallel: vegans can get obnoxious, but it's rightfully obnoxious preachiness stemming from anger because the meat industry is fucked, unsustainable and actively worsening climate change. every poor person, every working class person should also get obnoxious because while this life is rough, this life is sustainable. the life that the upper class leads has never been sustainable.
