The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction | Analysis - II | Walter Benjamin - “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”

The twentieth century has revolutionized the world of art through mechanically producing art. Walter Benjamin has demonstrated how various art forms are being formed and utilized by the society. The importance of art and the significance of cult qualities have been emphasized by the author. Along with appreciating the aura and the ritualistic significance of art, the author has depicted the value of modern art forms and connected them to the past. According to the author, the various forms of reproduction of art such as copying the original work is not a modern form of reproducing art. Instead, this method was initiated by Greeks along with the methods of engraving, lithography and photography. Although the uniqueness of art provided an aesthetic appeal to the spectator, but the new forms attract and capture the audience in a different way.

The author has created a parallelism between past and present forms of art. In the past, the statues were not put to exhibition, but they had an aura and uniqueness in them. The statues and sculptures were not appreciated by many but still they had their significance. While the present art forms are basically created for exhibition and for getting economic benefits. The quality is compromised by the artists and several copies of the original work of art are made which seem indistinguishable from the original work. In this way, the mechanically produced copies have lost the aura and the significance of originality. The magical faction has been diminished with the substitution through replication. The mass production has controlled the unique forms of art and eradicated the ritualistic traditions and aesthetics of art. The photographs are taking the place of paintings, but the paintings had a connection with history and culture which is absent in pictures.

Although the reproduction of art has become faster and cheaper and claims to be authentically original, it lacks uniqueness and originality. Art has become an economic product instead of an aesthetically pleasing object. Water Benjamin has shown the manipulation of masses by the politicians through various forms of art. He has demonstrated how the people are distracted through films and photographs. The politicians propagate certain ideologies through art and divert the attention of masses. For this purpose, he has given the example of Eugene Atget, who had transformed the empty streets into crime scenes through his camera. At the same time, Walter Benjamin has foreshadowed the role of art in destabilizing the capitalistic system.