 The installations within Monument were chosen because they all reference the Soviet Union, or the lost civilization.The monument serves as a reminder to the Sicilians in Palermo who hope to create a new society.Emilia Kabakov warns, “Don’t repeat our mistakes, look at your dreams clearly, but don’t sacrifice the people in the name of ideology.” 

According to Kabakov's plans, Monument to a Lost Civilization is to exist below ground in a space without any windows, which might allow the viewer to find solace through the sight of the sky.