The work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction

1
The work of art in the age of mechanical
reproduction
Walter Benjamin
Presented by Maha Al-Saati
2

• Contemporary masses yearn to hold things "close
  by obtaining their reproductions Walter
  Benjamin
• People would prefer the skins of things, their
  images, than the objects themselves- Oliver
  Holmes (p.319-320)
• PREFACE
• Marx ideas on capitalistic production aimed to
• Exploit the proletarian (working class) with
  increasing intensity
• Some Marxian concepts
• Art of the proletarian (classless society) after
  its assumption of power
• Developmental tendencies of art under present
  conditions of production
• Marxian concepts brush aside concepts such as
• Creativity, genius, eternal value and mystery
• to formulate data into demands in the politics of
  arts, we must first process data in a Fascist
  sense
• (P.320)

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• I ONE MANUAL TECHNICAL REPRODUCTION
• Historical review on types of reproduction
  (manual to mechanical)
• stamping and founding (for graphic art)
• Printing (for writing)
• Engraving, etching and woodcutting
• Lithography (direct process/trace design on
  stone, use treated ink on certain areas). enabled
  to illustrate everyday life / implied the
  illustrated news paper
• Photography freed the hand/ eye perceive more
  swiftly than the and can draw / implied the sound
  film
• (P.321)
• By 1900 technical reproduction was able to
  reproduce all transmittable works of art
• thus causing an impact on the public
• And taking its place of its own amongst the
  artistic process
• (p.322)

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• II. TWO THE AUTHENTICITY / AURA OF A WORK OF ART
• The most perfect reproduction lacks its presence
  and unique existence in
• Time
• space
• This includes the changes in
• physical condition (impossible to perform
  chemical or physical analysis on a reproduction)
• ownership
• (p.322)

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• Overview of some of the advantages of technical
  reproductions that lead to its increase
• 1. process production
• is more independent of the original than manual
  reproduction
• (i.e. photography, process production enlarges
  and catches slow motion that cant be observed
  with natural eye vision)
• 2. technical reproduction
• Can put the copy into situations out of reach for
  the original
• Enables the work of art to meet the beholder (in
  a photograph/record)
• Disadvantage of mechanical reproduction
• may not touch the original artwork/landscape
• But the quality of presence is always depreciated
• (p.323)

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• The concept of AUTHENTICITY in works of art
• The authenticity of an object is the essence of
  all transmissible, ranging from
• Substantive (essence/substance) duration
• Testimony to history
• Authenticity is NOT reproducible (technically or
  manually)
• Thus, authenticity, authority and Historical
  testimony, are jeopardized by reproduction
• (p.323)
• The concept of AURA in works of art
• That which withers in the age of mechanical
  reproduction
• Reproduction detaches the produced object from
  the domain of tradition (p.323.)
• Making multiple reproductions brings those copies
  for a unique existence
• Permitting the production to meet the beholder
  (travel through space) reactivates the original
  object
• (p.324)

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• The two processes (reproducing-displaying the
  copy to beholders) caused in
• Shattering tradition
• Caused a contemporary crisis
• Renewal of mankind
• contemporary mass movements
• The most powerful agent of the contemporary mass
  movement is film
• Its social significance is inconceivable without
  its destruction of traditional values and
  cultural heritage
• (p.324)

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• III. THREE THE DECAY OF THE AURA
• Mode of human sense perception changes with
  humans mode of existence
• Historical and social circumstances/transformation
  s determine
• The organization manner of human perception
• The medium in which the perception is
  accomplished
• changes in the medium cause the decay of the aura
• (p.324)

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• The definition of Aura (historical and natural)
• a unique phenomenon of a distance, however close
  it may be
• The social changes (increasing significance of
  the masses in contemporary life) that caused in
  the decay of the aura
• The desire of contemporary masses to bring things
  closer (spatially and humanly) by its likeness
• Overcoming the uniqueness of ever reality by
  accepting reproduction
• By reproduction, a new field of perception
  emerged
• Sense of the universal equality of things
• Destruction of the aura from unique objects
• The increasing importance of statistics by
  adjustment of reality to the masses and vice
  versa
• (p.325)

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• IV FOUR THE DECLINE OF CULTURAL/RITUAL VALUES
  OF ART
• Uniqueness of a work of art is embedded in the
  fabric of tradition cult
• The early works had ritual roots/ functions
  related to magic/religion values
• (p.326)
• Example Statue of Venus
• Regarded as object of veneration
  (respect/devotion) (for Greeks)
• Ominous (harmful) object (in Middle Ages)
• Thus both values are unique, have auras based on
  traditional/cult values
• (p.325)

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• Introduction of reproduction was accompanied by
• Rise of socialism
• Decline in ritual basis
• This caused in a crisis in art
• This gave rise to the negative theology which
  constitutes
• Pure art denies social functions
• Categorizes art by subject matter
• Analysis of art in the age of reproduction lead
  to the following insights
• Mechanical reproduction frees art from dependence
  on rituals
• The work of art is now designed to be reproduced
• (p.326)
• Example film negative that can be reproduced,
  non is authentic because all are reprints
• When authenticity of an art work ceases, the
  function of art is reversed, from being based on
  ritual values to based on politics values
• (p.327)

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• V FIVE CULT VALUE VS. EXHIBITION VALUE
• Contemporary works of art are received with
  emphasis on
• The cult value
• The exhibition value of the work
• (p.327)
• Artistic production begins with ceremonial
  objects and rituals
• We can assume what matters is the existence of
  the work of art, not their public display /show
• Example
• The caveman's drawings were an element of magic
  (for spirits) not displayed to others
• The Madonna statue remains hidden in cathedrals
  not exposed except in very few religious (ritual)
  occasions
• (p.328)

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• The shift from cult values to Exhibition values
• In prehistoric times work of art was an
  instrument of religion or magic, emphasized only
  cult value
• Later it became recognized as a work of ART of
  artistic function
• Emphasized on the exhibition value
• By freeing art practices from ritual, we increase
  the opportunities for their exhibition
• Example portrait bust can travel for exhibiting
  more than a divine statue fixed in a temple
• The role of reproduction
• Increased fitness for exhibition
• Example film and photography fulfill this new
  ARTISTIC function
• (p.328)

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• VI SIX PHOTOGRAPHY DISPLACING THE CULT VALUE
  WITH EXHBITION VALUE
• In photography
• Exhibition value replaced cult value
• But cult value didnt give way without
  resistance
• Thats why the first photographs were portraits
  of people (remembrance of loved ones, as a cult
  value)
• The aura (melancholy and beauty) came from the
  expression of the face in the portrait photograph
• (p.329)

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• The exhibition value took over
• Man withdrew from the photograph
• Example Atgets photographs of Paris's deserted
  streets
• the photos purpose was to establish evidence for
  
• historical occurrences
• Hidden political significance
• They stir viewers and challenge them
• (P.329)

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• XII SEVEN REACTION OF MASSES TOWARDS ART
• Mechanical reproduction of art changed the
  reaction of masses toward art
• Reactionary attitude towards Picasso paintings
• Progressive reaction towards a Chaplin movie
• Progressive reaction characteristics
• Direct
• Oriented by the expert
• Intimate fusion of visual and emotional
  enjoyment (this fusion gives social significance)
• The more social significance decreases, the
  sharper the distinction between criticism and the
  publics enjoyment
• So, the conventional is uncritically enjoyed
• The new is criticized with aversion (dislike)
• (p.330)

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• In Screen films
• Critical and receptive attitudes of the public
  coincide
• The reason
• Individual reactions are predetermined by the
  mass audience response theyre about to produce
• As soon as these reactions become manifest
  (public) they control each other
• (p.330)
• Publics reaction
• the same public reacts in a progressive manner
  toward a grotesque film
• Responds in a reactionary manner to surrealism
• (p.330-331)

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• Paintings characteristics
• Paintings nature is NOT to be presented for
  simultaneous collective experience (unlike
  architect, epic poems, movies)
• viewed by one-few persons
• The effect of painting mechanical reproduction
• Paintings exhibited publicly but there's NO way
  for the public to organize and control their
  reception (p.330)
• Early symptoms of crisis of painting art
• In middle ages courts, a collective reception of
  paintings didnt occur simultaneously, but by
  graduated hierarchies
• Simultaneous show of paintings to a large public
  (early 19th century) (p.330)

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• XIII. EIGHT BEHAVIOR OF MASSES
• The characteristics of film
• The manner which man presents himself to
  mechanical equipment
• The manner which man can represent his
  environment
• Film has enriched our field of perception with
  methods
• Films in the past didnt reveal depth in small
  actions (such as slip of a tongue in a
  conversation)
• Later
• Optical and acoustical perception in film
  deepened apperception (the minds perception of
  itself)
• Behavior items in a film can be observed more
  precisely from different points of views (than on
  stage or in paintings)

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• Screened filmed behavior is easier to analyze
  than
• paintings because
• More precise statements of the situation
• Than theaters because
• it can be more isolated more easily
• This importance is derived from it mutual
  penetration of art and science
• Screened behavior brought in a certain situation
  is fascinating because of its
• Artistic value
• Value for science
• (p.331)

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• Close-ups /slow motion in film shows
• Close ups
• extends space
• Explores/shows precise details of familiar
  objects/places
• Slow motion
• extends movements
• Reveals familiar objects in entirely unknown
  movements
• The film and the guidance of the camera
• introduces us to unconscious optics more than the
  naked eye
• fluctuate our moods
• Unconsciously penetrated space (by the naked eye)
  is substituted for a space consciously penetrated
  by man (by the camera)
• (p.332)

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• EPILOGUE
• Two aspects of the processing of data in Fascist
  aspects
• Growing politicization of modern man
• Increasing formation of masses
• (p.332)
• Fascism
• Organizes the proletarian masses WITHOUT
  affecting the property structure
• DOESNT give masses their right but a chance to
  express themselves
• The masses have a right to change property
  relations
• Fascism seeks to give the mass expression while
  persevering property
• (p.333)

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• The logical result of Fascism
• Introduced aesthetics into political life
• Violation of masses
• violation of apparatus (complex machines)
• presses into the production of ritual values
• Efforts to produce politics aesthetic culminate
  in war
• The political formula for the situation
• War sets a goal for mass movements on a large
  scale
• While respecting the traditional property system
• The technological formula
• Only war mobilize our technical resources while
  maintaining the property system
• (p.333)

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• Aesthetics of war according to Marinetti and the
  Futurists
• War is beautiful because it
• established mans dominion over machinery
  (technology)
• Initiates the metallization of the human body
• Creates new architecture
• Geometrical flights
• this manifesto has a virtue of clarity (p.333)

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• Aesthetics of today's war
• Natural utilization of productive forces is
  impeded (obstructed) by the property system
• Increase in technical devices (in speed and
  energy) press for unnatural utilization, thus war
• The destructiveness of war is proof that
• the society isn't mature enough to incorporate
  technology as its organ
• Technology isn't developed to cope with elemental
  forces of society
• War horrors attribute to discrepancy
  (disagreement in facts) between
• Tremendous means of production
• And Inadequate utilization in the process of
  production
• This leads to
• Leads to unemployment and lack of markets (p.334)

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• Imperialistic war is
• A rebellion of technology
• Collects in the form of human material what
  society denied its natural material
• It drops its seeds (bombs) over cities
• Through war, the aura is abolished (ended) in a
  new way
• Marinetti expects war to supply artistic
  gratification (satisfaction) by changing the
  sense perception through technology
• In homers poems, Mankind was an object of
  contemplation (deep consideration) for the
  Olympic gods
• now mankind is one for itself
• Mankinds self alienation caused in its own
  destruction, which it experiences as an aesthetic
  pleasure of the first order.
• This is the situation which Fascism regards as
  aesthesis of politics
• Communism responds by politicizing art
• (p.334)