Wednesday, January 17, 2007

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

Benjamin argues that mechanical reproduction strips a work of art of its "aura", by which he seems to mean its authenticity, specificity, and its unique significance. It is thus removed "from its parasitical dependence on ritual", which I take to mean that mechanical reproduction is the disenchantment of art.

(Incidentally, I also have no idea how one might obectively measure the "aura" of a work of art, for those who are wondering!)

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