Design, Ornament, and Adornment: Self-Expression and Dissent
Considering the 20th and 21st century disparagement of ornament and fetishization of minimalism by Western design practitioners and the art world, why, when, and by whom has ornament been celebrated? In this seminar course we will consider how makeup, clothing, and the curation of domestic space are related to social status, commodity culture, religious practices, and broader design cultures (product design, architecture) over a range of cultures and epochs. What constituted “power dressing” in fifteenth century Peru versus Spain? What does historical makeup application (including the use of poisonous Venetian ceruse!) tell us about social status and morality in Elizabethan England? We will read primary and secondary sources, examine material culture and physical spaces, blend pigments, design product components, and work with Special Collections to curate a physical and virtual exhibition.