Summary Work of Art in Age of Mechanical Productio
Summary "The Work of Art in the Historic period of Its Technological Reproducibility"
This is my start effort at Bookish writing. I have written a short summary on Walter Benjamin's Essay "The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility". Any academic writers reading this are more than welcome in correcting and providing feedback.
This essay by Walter Benjamin, published in 1936, sheds light on the impact of mass production on the piece of work of Art and its traditional and private uniqueness.
Walter Benjamin
The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility
Summary
Published in 1936, Benjamin's dissertation on the work of art is a discussion on the value of art and the influence of its technological reproduction on the capitalists and social club. He too mentions Marx analysis on the backer mode of production during the industrial revolution; that discusses what could be expected in future of the backer production, that is — the profiteering of the lower-class as well as the dissolution of capitalism. The influence of the technological reproduction of the work of art tends to play a significant function on the cultural and political values of the gild and fascists. Where politicians used the art as a means of growing their political agenda into the people of society and controlled the exhibition equally to convey only the messages and methods convenient to their ambitions. Society perceived art every bit a unique musical instrument of traditional values. The reproduction of art tin can contribute in manipulating the credible material in the favour of the fascists but on the other mitt, it can be beneficial in the revolution of politics of art.
While people have always been able to replicate art through diverse methods since prehistoric ages. Upon the study of the history of art, it can be observed how humankind has progressed from cavern paintings to writing on stones and later on to etching on wood blocks. Art has ever been reproduced through ane way or another, sometimes for the student's artistic exercise purposes, main's exhibition of his piece of work or for profiteers. Technological reproduction was something new, woods-cutting being one of the earliest technique used in the reproduction of fine art, contested later in the nineteenth century by lithography.
Lithography advanced the reproduction of art by means of numbers besides as variations. This led graphic fine art take its place in the everyday and domestic life of the society under the influence of materialism. A decade later, the invention of photography competed well in meeting such demands of order. Photography drew the paw of artist away from the canvass as information technology relied only upon the use of the eye as the tool. Indeed what could be drawn by mitt could now be captured in a few moments, more swiftly through the lens of the camera. This accelerated the reproduction of art to a much higher speed and drive art into its manipulative properties.
A painting or image within its original grade and state holds certain uniqueness of its history, which Benjamin describes as the 'aura' of art. This aura is the but and rare quality that surrounds art with its emotional and historical beliefs. In 'The Salon of 1859', Charles Baudelaire describes photography as "… fine art's nigh mortal enemy, …" (Baudelaire, due north.d.). Although a photograph captures the moment in more accurate and swift mode, is only the reflection of the moment, which can be altered past the means of lens and viewpoint during reproduction. This reproduction lacks the traditional value and historical proof of its being in its original form. Benjamin states "In even the well-nigh perfect reproduction, i thing is lacking: the here and now of the work of art — its unique existence in a detail place" (Benjamin, 1936). A painting when fatigued can accept a cultural or emotional attachment between the artist and the subject and what the artist feels nigh it at that time. Merely on the other hand, the photograph of the same subject can be adjusted and welded for a unlike audition at unlike times portraying unlike meanings, losing its original 'aura'. "If photography is allowed to complement art in some of its functions, the latter will presently exist ousted and ruined by it …" (Baudelaire, n.d.).
The essence of originality in a work of art often lies in its tradition; which is lost with its reproduction. A painting made by an artist in a sure context of tradition, ritual and historical means may be of entirely different context in a reproduced re-create present nether different circumstances at a dissimilar place. It is not but about the art only likewise the imagery we run across or the sounds we hear in a movie that create an artificial or contextual perception every bit per the demands of the producer. In theatres, the audience witnessed the one and truthful form of a performance and actors performed naturally and in a style that pleased their audience. This could now exist edited, manipulated and re-acted upon many times for the best shot under the orders of the directors. The audience now, in this context is your camera man, director and few more people that aid in recording and the real viewers await the manipulated release to be enjoyed privately at domicile.
The effect of manipulation and mass product on an original artwork or on its 'aura' is the major discussion point for Benjamin in his essay. His predictions of this impact state two points — Firstly, the art will lose it'southward uniqueness and value under the influence of mass production. Secondly, how this mass production of art can influence and drive the lodge out of the prowess of commercialism.
Note: This is my first article and I would highly capeesh any feedback on the content as well as language and linguistic mistakes.
Thanks.
Source: https://medium.com/@shahbazmehdi/summary-the-work-of-art-in-the-age-of-its-technological-reproducibility-ea073a48cc2b
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