“A relentless destruction of the aura of their creations, which they branded as reproductions with the very means of production” (Benjamin 31).
Aura of art. I love how Walter Benjamin spoke about the presence, the aura, the uniqueness of artwork and how it is diminishing as mass production rises.
Everything has an essence and a feeling to it, is it possible that we are weeding out the true feeling of art by mass producing it?
When art is duplicated, it is never able to exude the feelings of authenticity. What I am curious about is how is music pirating and replicating such a serious concern, when art seems to not hit on that radar screen. Art is thought up and created using a lot of time and discipline, it is taking advantage of the artist by trying to recreate it so cheaply.
While it is understandable in a commercial consumer obsessed nation that we would replicate for cheap a piece of artwork, it is simply killing the meaning of the art. When the artists create work are they intending it to be seen in a way without the truth presence? It would entirely shift the meaning and dimension of the work.
Even though I have appreciation for artwork, it is easy for me to take for granted the artistry and expertise in the creations because of the ability to mass produce it. Even from when I was a little girl and strategically taking a photograph using film, there was a different sort of concentration needed to take the photos, where now with digital photography, you can snap 1000 photos and then completely digitally alter them. The ability to do this changes the meaning of taking a picture. Once upon a time the photograph was used to represent and freeze a moment in time, now though it can be so shifted that it has a different meaning entirely. You can put someone into a photo who wasn’t there, or make it appear like I am in the South Pole when I am actually at Rollins College.
The photographic era and replication of art has led to a confusion of what reality actually is. What is real artwork, are real replicas of art, real? Maybe we should all try to appreciate art more and try to truly soak in the essence of it
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2 comments:
Do you feel the same way about the music on your i-pod?
Bumble:
Actually, I have mixed feelings about it. I so often overlook how we are simply replicating the original music. In a way taking away the essence or aura of the music that you would originally have to see in concert or watch perform live.
By thinking about it in these terms it is easier to appreciate the music that we can have in our very personal speakers.
At the same time, I love that I can use my shuffle and take a jog and have Michael Jackson singing in my ear.
Who needs to go to a concert anymore? I can set up my own concert in my very living room. It is a sad thought but I am selfishly loving the experience.
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