I'm starting to understand where Loos and Le Corbusier are coming from now, being that there entire world was covered in some type of decor, and I guess I cant hate them for wanting to try something different. The other two articles I only glanced over, but they paint a better picture, these guys were introducing entire new schools of thought to the world of design., which can never be a bad thing. However, I believe strongly that ornament is part of what makes us human, it is the proof of abstract thought even amongst the most primitive tribes. People need ornament, whether they are aware of it or not. The problem with ornament in the west today is that it is not treated as something sacred, it is almost non existent, it has been replaced by advertising and kitch. Here is something interesting for us to ponder, in Sao Paulo, despite being a big shit babylon hell hole, they figured something out. They made a law there against visual pollution, due to all the advertisements and billboards that had sprung up. On the other hand, they have a relaxed attitude towards graffiti, it is legal as long as you are using multiple colors and have chosen a suitable location. This attitude allowed street artists to take the act of painting walls further, spending more time on their work , advancing the entire subculture.
Le Corbusier expresses great admiration for painters, unless I missed his sarcasm. I wonder how he would react to the idea of designing buildings so the public can paint them freely, which would show the pulse of a city in a way that other types of ornamentation do not, due to its constant evolution and originality. Below is some graffiti typical of Sao Paul streets.
Photo JD
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