[kelseyfrog]

It depends on what is specifically meant by current minimal aesthetic. At least in architecture, minimalist modernism we can clearly point to Aldof Loo's Ornement and Crime(1908)[1]. It includes gems such as

> The evolution of culture is synonymous with the removal of ornamentation from utilitarian objects.

> Ornament does not heighten my joy in life or the joy in life of any cultivated person.

and

> Freedom from ornament is a sign of spiritual strength.

There was not a history of minimal aesthetic before this era.

I'm not sure how this fits into any generational cycle. I'm not too keen on generational reductionism.

1. https://idoc.pub/documents/adolf-loos-ornament-and-crimepdf-...