Benjamin, Detective Danny

First off, I would like to thank Walter Benjamin for being so nice as to break this piece into nice little sections. It makes the seemingly undigestable easier to swallow. As an artist, these critiques on the implications of art and their relationship with time are interesting.
The arts of photography and film are obviously the easiest to discuss in terms of reproduction and its effects. It was interesting in the discussion of the film, how Benjamin was almost questioning whether acting on film was as legitimate as acting for the stage.
One thing I have a hard time grasping is the relationship between mechanical reproduction of art and fascism. When politics and art become intertwined, is the outcome always war as Benjamin suggests? When politics and art are assimilated, I find that it often encourages discussion. Division can arise from it, but it can also encourage people to view a certain issue or political topic from another angle.
Being an actor for the stage and a lover of theater, I had a fun time contemplating the “aura” of certain works of art. For example, when you go to a museum, you can feel a communion with the art that cannot be translated when looking at a picture of it on the internet. This same thing can be felt in the theatre, as there is only an invisible wall separating you from the manifestation of the art. This will be interesting as we go on our architecture field trip, as when you are standing in a building or viewing it, you are enveloped by the aura of the art behind the building. As I have no real experience in viewing architecture as art for pleasure, I am excited to hopefully discover something new, and hopefully it wont lead to me becoming a fascist.