Walter Bendix Schonflies Benjamin was born into a wealthy Jewish family in Germany. He was a German philosopher who is associated with the Frankfurt School and his areas of interests were literary theory, language, aesthetics, and technology. Benjamin was influences by and is associated with the work of Karl Marx, Theodor Adorno, and Bertolt Brecht. Moreover, one of Benjamin’s most influential writing is titled, The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction (1936).
The primary argument made by Benjamin in The Work of Art essay is the decay of an “aura” (authenticity) of art through reproduction. Specifically, Benjamin argues against art in the form of film and photography in order to preserve traditional aesthetic values, such as creativity …show more content…
Its self-alienation has reached such a degree that it can experience its own destruction as an aesthetic pleasure of the first order. This is the situation of politics, which Fascism is rendering aesthetic. Communism responds by politicizing art. (p. 50)
It is important to mention that The Work of Art by Walter Benjamin is influential to the role of technology on reproduction and the shaping of experiences. However, it should be noted, The Work of Art has been criticized by scholars including Adorno. Some of these oppositions include the belief that the aura can be effectively transferred to reproduction and the inference of autonomous work of art excludes the aura yet produces greater …show more content…
First, for the most part I agree with the argument made by Benjamin. Art objects are not only a reflection of the time and place of the creator as well as the creator’s creative and genius ability. Within this, the aura of the art is purely authentic and what makes it special is not only the representation of the history of production, but also because it is rare. However, I do pose several questions that derive not only from the essay itself, but also previous class discussions. First, I believe that Benjamin would argue that the experience of the original holds the aura and the experience of a reproduction lacks authentic originality. However, if a person sees the original form of art, such as the Mona Lisa, in the authentic form can we (as observers) ever truly grasp the aura of the painting or is the authenticity locked in the mind of the creator? I believe that the true history and the personal interpretation, which created the original painting is the only location of the aura of the artifact. This is where I believe that I may differ from Benjamin’s argument. While Benjamin I believe would argue that original art objects hold the aura, I would argue that the creator of the art object holds it’s only true
The primary argument made by Benjamin in The Work of Art essay is the decay of an “aura” (authenticity) of art through reproduction. Specifically, Benjamin argues against art in the form of film and photography in order to preserve traditional aesthetic values, such as creativity …show more content…
Its self-alienation has reached such a degree that it can experience its own destruction as an aesthetic pleasure of the first order. This is the situation of politics, which Fascism is rendering aesthetic. Communism responds by politicizing art. (p. 50)
It is important to mention that The Work of Art by Walter Benjamin is influential to the role of technology on reproduction and the shaping of experiences. However, it should be noted, The Work of Art has been criticized by scholars including Adorno. Some of these oppositions include the belief that the aura can be effectively transferred to reproduction and the inference of autonomous work of art excludes the aura yet produces greater …show more content…
First, for the most part I agree with the argument made by Benjamin. Art objects are not only a reflection of the time and place of the creator as well as the creator’s creative and genius ability. Within this, the aura of the art is purely authentic and what makes it special is not only the representation of the history of production, but also because it is rare. However, I do pose several questions that derive not only from the essay itself, but also previous class discussions. First, I believe that Benjamin would argue that the experience of the original holds the aura and the experience of a reproduction lacks authentic originality. However, if a person sees the original form of art, such as the Mona Lisa, in the authentic form can we (as observers) ever truly grasp the aura of the painting or is the authenticity locked in the mind of the creator? I believe that the true history and the personal interpretation, which created the original painting is the only location of the aura of the artifact. This is where I believe that I may differ from Benjamin’s argument. While Benjamin I believe would argue that original art objects hold the aura, I would argue that the creator of the art object holds it’s only true