The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction by Walter Benjamin

I have often been attracted to both the visual aesthetic, critical standpoint and to some extent the theory of artists Hannah Hoch and Kurt

To understand most period and movements in modern art, one must first understand the context in which they occurred. When one looks at the various artistic styles, one will realize how artists react to historical and cultural changes and how artists perceive their relation to society.

Art is a conversation between the artist and the audience, and through which the artwork is the medium between both. The artist, as the author of the piece, generates the message, plans the piece, and executes it to the best of his abilities. The audience, on their part, uses past experiences and knowledge of the artist and artwork to interpret the work,(which interestedly can lead to multiple conclusions of the work that are far distant from the artist's original understanding). Then there is the artwork itself: it is the passive participant whose influences beyond that of the artist and the audience is time. Throughout history, this has been the case—Raphael and his Galatea, and Leonardo da Vinci and his Last Supper—but in more recent times,

With images, words, and sounds been almost endlessly reproduced and distributed, various critics of modern culture suggest that traditional ideas about art and authenticity are no longer applicable. The problem is said to have been noticed back in the 1930s in the popular essay The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction that was concerned about what would happen to the “aura” of unique works of art when photography and other techniques if anybody could make unlimited copies of images. With the rise of digital technology, copying ability became vast and complex and hence the idea of originality is thrown into

The earliest forms of art had made it’s mark in history for being an influential and unique representation of various cultures and religions as well as playing a fundamental role in society. However, with the new era of postmodernism, art slowly deviated away from both the religious context it was originally created in, and apart from serving as a ritual function. Walter Benjamin, a German literary critic and philosopher during the 1900’s, strongly believed that the mass production of pieces has freed art from the boundaries of tradition, “For the first time in world history, mechanical reproduction emancipates the work of art from its parasitical dependance on ritual” (Benjamin 1992). This particular excerpt has a direct correlation with

Re-made and re-carved works have been around for hundreds of years as artists take inspiration from whom the original was recreated. In Roman art history, certain artists would re-make Roman portraits to honor those before them. However, this was not always the case as individuals would destroy and damage art as a damnation of memory. What determined our understanding of the specific work depended on why the remade or re-carved work was created. These re-made and re-carved artworks revealed a deeper meaning about the individual, culture and the society for whom the original was recreated.

The essays by Berger and Benjamin are similar in several ways in the sense that they follow a common theme and put forward similar arguments. Mechanical reproduction changed the way we view and experience art. Their perspectives on the reproduction of art changed our thinking and feelings for what it can bring.

Since the beginning of art, typical mediums have consisted of oil paints, marble, pastels, and charcoals. As time has progressed, and aesthetics have changed, so has the extensive list of mediums found in art. One medium in particular, known as the use of “found objects” has become increasingly more popular since the days of the Renaissance. Found object art can be as straightforward as Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain,” which is a urinal fountain that is simply orientated sideways and signed; this, bordering the line between art and an object from everyday life, brings forth many questions and lots of public controversy. Art has always caused this same controversy, but one main argument frequently surrounding found objects is the extent unto which the piece must be abstracted or reincorporated in order to be considered “art.”

Art is a human construct, it is bound to the artist that creates it just like each person is bound to the age in which they live. Art is as much a part of the artist, as words are part of the person that spoke them. It is the Human Spirit to want to progress from your predecessor, to use your forerunner's knowledge to break away and accomplish more. Art, being intrinsically entertained with the Human Spirit follows this trend. Each style having a base of knowledge from a previous style, but instead of replicating it, taking it further. Thus art reflects the Human Spirit's want to progress as much as it reflects the artist that created it and the time it was created in.

the process of removing the artist from the art and questioned the value of the “artist’s hand”

At its inception, modernist art was shocking and evocative to the traditional “academic exceptions of artwork.” Unlike much of the artwork that came before, modernist paintings sought to engage the audience for the first time and inspired new ideas. This form of art was critical of society and represented a new pathway for artists to explore their intellect and creativity. Artists broke the “norms” of what was not allowed previously in art. In the past, traditional academic expectations for art where governed by rules that the artist had to follow. Art was produced for the rich and powerful, whether they came from the church or were simply wealthy members of government. With the rise of modernist art though, artists began to make “art for the sake of art” (Barrett, 20).

Art has a long history in the evolution of modern mankind, from paint made of wet clay,to sculpture, and even to modern art. Some pieces are meant to symbolize an emotion or an object, to be used in the worship Gods,to tell stories or simply to be something beautiful. Throughout history, art has evoked emotions, awe, and has broken barriers and culture lines in ways nothing else could. Art can be influenced from everywhere; nature, emotions, neighboring cities and many other ways. Since so many culture influence each other, it is easy to see where similarities in pieces might be.

The first drawing is untitled. It depicts the back of a Holly Hobby girl jumping in the air with joy and freedom. She is free. There are no fears, no anxiety just the empty void of space surrounding her. In her world there is no daytime or nighttime. I drew this picture while I was still in elementary school. All of my drawings I did as a child were of little girls playing and having fun. It was imperative that I created a space were this little girl could play, be liberated and not worry about coming off the page into my world. The series of drawings I did as a child allowed me to have my moment of space and freedom within the constraint of my room. As I prepared to write this paper and observed my childhood drawings, I understand more now how art saved me. The drawing of the Holly Hobby girl on old faded vanilla paper is not just a drawing; she is my friend. We laughed, played and cried together. We had slumber and tea parties together. When everybody left me alone in the house she kept me company and when my parents started fighting we had our secret hiding place. German poet and playwright Friedrich Schiller stated, “Art is the daughter of freedom,” then art is my avatar for freedom.

Much of what Benjamin discusses in his essay has to do with what he describes as the “aura” or spirit of an artwork. He discusses this spirit and how it is obtained, lost, given and received. He suggests that the aura of an artwork we know and understand today is much different from how it was understood in the time and place of its production. The aura Benjamin speaks of is obtained because of the artwork’s uniqueness and authenticity, which in turn is lost due the act of mass production. In describing this

“Modern painting, breaking through old conversation, has released countless suggestions which are still waiting to be used by the practical world.”(Gropius) The birth of modernism and modern art goes back to the Industrial Revolution, a period that lasted from the 18th to the 19th century, in which rapid changes in manufacturing, transportation, and technology profoundly affected the social, economic, and cultural conditions of life in Western Europe, North America, and eventually the world. Before the 19th century, artists created art pieces for wealthy people and institution places like the church where they can create art works about storytelling of religious or mythological scenes . These arts were there to instruct the viewers.However, this changed when during the 19th century many artists began to create works that were about people, places, or ideas that interested them, and of which they had direct experience. With the popularization of the idea of a subconscious mind, many artists began exploring dreams, symbolism, and personal iconography as avenues for the depiction of their subjective experiences.Challenging the notion that art must realistically depict the world, some artists experimented with the expressive use of color, non-traditional materials, and new techniques and mediums.