Summary of Walter Benjamin's essay, " The of art in the age of mechanical reproduction".

Walter Benjamin - The Work of Art in the Age of robotlike Reproduction

Summary

Works of finesse have always been reproducible, through imitation. Mechanical counter characterizes a brand-new period in reproduction, with new limits and repercussions. individually new technology employed in the production or reproduction of imposture increased the race with which they could be through so. Lithography allowed for multiple images from one original, keeping up with the happenings of everyday life, and hence photography allowed the nontextual matterist to produce at the same speed as speech.

All reproductions of ruse lack the originals presence in a specific time and place, which is the basis for genuineness. The mechanical reproduction is more(prenominal) than(prenominal) independent from the original in that the producer has many choices in lighting, lens, angle, scale etc. The mechanical reproduction has the advantage of world able to place the image within situations inaccessible to the original.

Once authenticity and originality are confused, the authority of the object becomes confused as well.

The proficiency of mechanical reproduction separates it from the traditions of the original. The multitude of copies overwhelms the uniqueness of the original, yet upon comprehend the reproduction the viewer is referred automatically to the original (if they have cognition of the original).

The contemporary decay of the aura is due to two circumstances. First, the entreat to bring objects closer both spatially and humanly. Secondly, the attempt to overcome the uniqueness of reality by accepting and embracing its reproduction.

Tradition calls for the uniqueness of a turn of craft. With the development of photography and the rise of socialism, art saw a crisis approaching. The result was art for arts sake, pure art. Where art no longer talks somewhat social functions, it talks about itself.

Reproduction released art from its dependence upon ritual. The work of art reproduced becomes the work of art produced for reproduction. The artists choices usually accommodate for the quality of the objects reproduction. Art is now ground on politics as opposed to ritual.

Works of art are now valued on two different criteria. It is evaluated on its cult value or its exhibition value. The production of art began with objects designed for use in a cult. The assumption is do that what mattered was the existence of the work preferably than its display. Now with the shift to policy- qualification purposes the opportunities for the art to be exhibited grows. It is easier to display a painting rather than a fresco or mosaic.

Painting becomes a much more personal perplex, in that a group cannot simultaneously experience it, as it was possible for architecture, frescos, epic poems and movies of today.

In the past works of art were seen as functional in advance aesthetic. It was provided in remembrance that they were labeled art. In the same way, todays art, due to the great wildness on its exhibition value, becomes an entirely new creation, with entirely new functions. The artistic is the most obvious of these functions, which in the future may be recognized as merely incidental.

The masses response to art changed dramatically since the development of mechanical reproduction. This reaction is deluxe by an amalgamation between emotional enjoyment and the post of the expert or critic. The less significant a work is socially, the greater the differentiation between the critic and the masses.

make is a comparatively new development within the art community.



The characterization of a lead depends both on how the artist approaches the equipment, and how they can represent the surrounding environment with it. Film demonstrates a far more precise account of the situation than painting ever could. Film is, when compared with theater, far more readily analyzed due to its king to be isolated.

Art has always created a demand which could be not be satisfied by the present means. This demand could only be fulfilled by advancement in the technical standards, or a formation of a new art form. thus, each innovation will aim past its means.

The Dadaists created or chose works, which they called reproductions with the very means of production. These could be anything including old, disembodied urinals. These objects defied the traditions of art, especially the compulsory aura.

Paintings invite the spectator into a state of contemplation, where their associations can be abandoned. Films do not allow the viewer to think, because no in the first place has the image been presented then a new one replaces it. Therefore the film offers no participation from its viewers.

The reason for the success of the film is due in part to the fact that the masses desire distraction, while art requires the viewers attention and concentration:

A man who concentrates before a work of art is absorbed by it... In contrast, the distracted man absorbs the work. The film putts the public in the coif of critic, yet the movie is in a position, which requires no attention, making the public an absent-minded critic.

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