DEADLINE EXTENDED: Submit by Jan 30, 11:59PM
⌘ ADJACENT ISSUE 13 OPEN CALL: ORNAMENT ⌘
Ornament exists where purpose becomes uncertain. It is decoration, embellishment, excess: the supposedly superfluous made essential. An ornament might be a carved detail on a building no one looks up to see, a ritual object whose power lies in its presence rather than its use, or a subtle marker of belonging that speaks only to those who know its language.
For our 13th issue, we explore ornament as both object and gesture. What makes something “merely” decorative, and who decides? How do ornaments encode identity, status, and belief systems in ways that feel invisible until suddenly, unmistakably, seen? We’re interested in the algorithms that ornament our digital lives and the objects we
place on altars, in fashion as social hieroglyph, and the strange beauty of things that serve no purpose but to exist. We seek works that examine what we choose to adorn, what adorns us, and why the “unnecessary” might actually be necessary.
We welcome: essays, reviews, interviews, fictional narratives, poems, and browser-compatible multimedia including video essays, visual narratives, audio compositions, and interactive web experiences. Interpret the theme ORNAMENT in any way that most interests you.
Written submissions: 1800–2500 words
Multimedia works: 3–8 minutes engagement duration
This open call welcomes submissions from everyone, including contributors outside of NYU.
Visit link in bio for details and to submit to our open call.
Visual by
@binvin.hrs 
