Crime and Ornament: The Arts and Popular Culture in the Shadow of Adolf Loos, Edited by Melony Ward and Bernie Miller

Adolf Loos’ provocative 1908 essay, “Ornament and Crime,” continues to ignite controversy, even outrage. His contentious assumptions have inspired the writers in this anthology who explore ornament in film, visual art, literature, fashion, sports, gay culture, and, of course, architecture. The resulting lively interrogations reinstate ornament as a potent cultural indicator.