Last week’s Polityka has an article on that most intrusive of the arts: architecture. Like their fellow members of the ??e-elity at the Gazeta Wyborcza, they seem think it a terrible shame that Poles are so backward looking. They just don’t appreciate the efforts made by thrusting, forward-looking engineers — errr, I mean architects of course. I have not read the illustrated article – hence the title – so stop reading if you think I should have read it before commenting.

The article has examples of good modern architecture in Poland and abroad. From abroad we have the tumorous bladder that is the Kunsthaus in Graz. From Ireland we have a science fiction confection from Daniel Liebeskind – not built yet and unfortunately giving ammunition to those who say architecture is just drawing nice pictures of buildings and letting engineers figure out how to make them. Still, that’s all a matter of taste. What isn’t, though, is the amazing coincidence that all the good buildings in Poland pictured (except one interior shot) are the same: big glass boxes. By a truly amazing coincidence, one of those glass boxes houses the publishers of Gazeta Wyborcza.

Unrelated item: in the latest Polityka there is a photograph of the sign at the Polish military base in Afghanistan: “Camp White Eagle,” the manly soldiers proudly proclaim.