Week 1 - Walter Benjamin - 'The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction'

Mechanical reproduction is the copying and reproducing of pre-existing images/prints/paintings. In this reading Benjamin seems to be arguing that the rise of mechanical reproduction has killed off the authenticity and the 'distinctive atmosphere or quality that surrounds' the artwork, in other words, the aura. 

The rise of mechanical reproduction happened around 1900 where it had 'reached a standard that not only permitted it to reproduce all transmitted works of art and thus to cause the most profound change in their impact upon the public; it also had captured a place of its own among the artistic processes'. This process now becoming frequently used created some issues for Benjamin in the fact that the reproduced pieces of work 'lacked one element: its presence in time an space, its unique existence' and on top of this they would all miss the 'physical changes over the years' that would stay with the original for its existence. He puts this perfectly by saying 'that which withers in the age of mechanical reproduction is the aura of the work of art'. 

The process became so popular as it allowed anybody to own or come into contact with these prestigious pieces of art, that in other times would have been unobtainable and only owned by the elite. In some sense it seems that this idea of a loss of 'aura' is being argued from a very privileged standpoint, and that it being taken away is only a bad thing as it makes the singular piece that little bit less special. Bu by it being reproduced it gives the general public and opportunity to experience the work and for that reason I see it as a beneficial thing. Benjamin definitely disagrees as he argues that the 'sense of universal equality of things has increased to such a degree that it extracts it even from a unique object by means of reproduction'.

This fear of mechanical reproduction in the past may be fair, but no we benefit massively from it, whether it be through a digital picture or a film. It seems with the more modern forms of art/media the idea of having an authentic one and only piece doesn't exist. Of course there is still a market for people to own the very first version of things, but with the rise of digital media those things definitely have less significance within society now.

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