In addition to stylistic similarities, both artists are united by their exploration of social utopias. Ilya Kabakov addresses one such utopia through the rise and fall of the Soviet Union, which he artistically explored in the installation „The Red Carriage“. Muche’s work, too, is characterized by an examination of social illusions — more specifically, leftist social utopias.

In doing so, he addresses social issues, grievances, and societal injustices. His connection to Russian artists working in the avant-garde style creates a link to Kabakov, who placed the euphoric dawn of art and politics in Russia at the beginning of his installation. Muche takes up Kabakov’s spirit and carries it forward by expanding the installation with paintings, sculptures, and objects.

Muches’ painted steel structures bear witness to industrialization, its boundless possibilities, and, at the same time, the arduous labor that was required to bring them about. On the display stands, these depictions of hard labor become visions of a different, better future. The boundaries between time periods blur, and the museum’s historical space becomes a space of the present. Labor, justice, distribution, and participation come together in the painted steel architecture to form the social issues with which Muche confronts the visitor. The installation illustrates how workers can be exploited and how the concept of labor can be misused.

When Muche quotes Lenin’s seminal 1904 essay *One Step Forward, Two Steps Back* as the title of his exhibition, yet deliberately omits the “e” in “steps, ” he is very subtly pointing out that times — and our attitudes — have changed.