Walter Benjamins Essay the Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction

"The Work of Fine art on the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" past Walter Benjamin was published in 1936, the inter war menses. "Having experienced Fascism and the fascist use of media in Germany" [from Media & Cultural Studies Keyworks ed. by Durham and Kellner] Benjamin speaks to the transformation of the Marxian superstructure which he observed "has taken more than a one-half century to manifest in all areas of civilisation the change in the conditions of product". Reflecting on the role of art in the 20th century, he explores a theory of art and the "useful formulation of revolutionary demands in the politics of art." [Preface] Since first reading this essay fifteen years ago, I've always been struck past its prescience and continual resonance in the digital historic period, then please forgive the length of this provocation across the recommended two-3 paragraph blog post.

Benjamin asserts that the work of fine art has always been reproducible, but is quick to point out that mechanical reproduction, i.due east., Marxian Capitalist mechanistic reproduction, through photography and pic, represents something new. Benjamin discusses the profound repercussions that reproduction of works of art through photography, and the 'fine art of the moving-picture show' have had on fine art in its traditional form. [Section I] Given this context, what are your thoughts on Benjamin's argument that "fifty-fifty the near perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element: its presence in time and space, its unique beingness at the identify where it happens to be," or in Benjamin-ian terms, its "aura". [Section Two] Benjamin further clarifies and defines the term "aura" of the work of art equally "that which withers in the age of mechanical reproduction". Do y'all agree or disagree?

For this provocation, I'll employ an instance from art: does Leonardo da Vinci'due south Mona Lisa finish to exist the Mona Lisa if we remove her from the rooms in which Leonardo painted and her patron intended her or the Louvre where she has resided for many centuries and still resides today? For example, more specifically, an enlarged and interactive Mona Lisa is currently on display in the windows of fashion conglomerate LVMH at fifth Ave. and 57th Street and she even winks. She is featured in a collection of luxury leather products designed past artist Jeff Koons entitled "MASTERS" that retails for approx. $585.00 – $iv,000.00. Here's a recent photograph of the display:

Mona Lisa is also currently on display at my local mall via a jacket design:

Do you recollect such reproduction erodes, or conversely, enhances the Benjamin-ian aura of this work of art?

Benjamin attributes social bases for the "gimmicky decay of the aura" and that these "residuum on two circumstances, both of which are related to the increasing significance of the masses in gimmicky life." [Department III] What are your thoughts on this?

While the gimmicky cult of the Mona Lisa carries on in our modern manner world today, Benjamin states that "originally, the contextual integration of art in tradition found its expression in the cult" and he clarifies, "in other words, the unique value of the 'authentic' work of art has its basis in ritual, the location of its original utilise value" and he gain with "an all-important insight: for the showtime time in world history, mechanical reproduction emancipates the work of art from its parasitical dependence on ritual." Benjamin then points out a paradox that "to an ever greater degree the work of fine art reproduced becomes the work of art designed for reproducibility." Cautioning, he qualifies this with: "Just the instant that the criterion of authenticity ceases to be applicable to artistic production, the full part of fine art is reversed. Instead of being based on ritual, it begins to be based on some other practice – politics." [Department IV] Do yous think the post-millennial function of art is one of ritual, politics or both? Tin you cite examples of works of art to illustrate your point of view?

The Internet, and our use of information technology, are for us, in my opinion based upon Benjamin, the ultimate mechanical reproduction of fine art and exhibition infinite (some other of import concept to Benjamin). Interim as the mass which "is a matrix from which all traditional beliefs toward works of art issues today in a new form" [Section XV] the Internet'south inherent mechanical reproduction is the ultimate emancipation of art, and I'd add, besides its paradoxical enslavement of fine art to the new rituals of clicking, copying, pasting, scanning, uploading, downloading, swiping, posting, re-posting, tweeting, re-tweeting, liking, favorite-ing and deleting.

While it is like shooting fish in a barrel for me to grasp the degradation of the Benjamin-ian aura in the work of art, considering all one has to practise is photocopy the Mona Lisa from an fine art book or re-create it from a website and see the loss of resolution and aesthetic quality with each generation, 1 must ask rhetorically how Benjamin foresaw this without the benefit of Xerox, Photoshop, the Globe Broad Web, apps such equally Instagram and filters. Do you find "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" as forward thinking as I do? Does it agree up in the digital age?

I cannot overlook that this provocation is assigned and intended for the readings for our Sept. 11 grade, and it brings to mind some remarks made past the author of "Prozac Nation" Elizabeth Wurtzel. They struck me and so and even so do at present, as reminiscent of the Epilogue in which Benjamin theorizes that war is the ultimate work of art. Wurtzel was asked nearly the events of Sept. 11, 2001 in February 2002 during an interview to promote her book More, Now, Again by the Toronto Globe and Mail in the context of her residency close to the World Merchandise Eye, and she commented as follows: 'I had not the slightest emotional reaction. I thought, this is a actually strange art project…it was a most amazing sight in terms of sheer elegance. It fell like h2o. It only slid, like a turtleneck going over someone's head.' (Her comments fix off a shock wave and likely caused her picture show for "Prozac Nation" made by Miramax not to exist released.) For me, these comments brought to listen words of Benjamin I take difficulty typing and relaying that "state of war is cute" and that "through gas warfare the aura is abolished in a new style." Writing in his time and place, Benjamin quotes Fascism "Fiat ars – pereat mundus" (translation: permit art exist created, though the world perish) which was the Fascist spin on "l'art cascade l'art" (fine art for art'south sake) and concludes past conjecturing "war to supply the artistic gratification of a sense of perception that has been changed past applied science." [Epilogue] Do you lot detect this to exist the logical and probable post-Marxian development?

Related Video Clip: Does this video of LVMH's Titian window (item from the painting of Mars, Venus and Cupid) disuse its aureola or enhance it?

Related Resources:

"Jeff Koons'south New Line" by Vanessa Friedman, The New York Times, April eleven, 2017

"The Louis Vuitton x Jeff Koons Bags May Exist My Least Favorite Designer Collab E'er" by Amanda Mull on purseblog, April 13, 2017

"Release Me" by John Harris, The Guardian, July 17, 2004

"Mona Lisa & an Iguana on 5th" by Carolyn A. McDonough, on CultureArtMedia, September ane, 2017

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Source: https://itpcore1fall2017.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2017/09/07/the-work-of-art-in-the-age-of-mechanical-reproduction-by-walter-benjamin/

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