Tag: Reading Response: Walter Benjamin

Cat Links 2024 Blog

[Reading Response] The Work Of Art In The Age Of Its Technological Reproducibility, And Other Writings On Media

Posted on mattsee

In the reading, Walter Benjamin presents the idea that technology, especially those related to reproducing and distributing art and media, has the ability to fundamentally alter the nature of art. Architecture is one of the most static and immovable forms of art, while it was not a subject of scrutiny in the reading, it can be a though provoking matter to be analysed using Benjamin’s ideas. I found an intriguing dichotomy between architecture (static, costly and permanent) and film (dynamic, easily distributable and transient), which can perfectly capture the transformative effect of media technology on art. A brief detour into

Continue reading[Reading Response] The Work Of Art In The Age Of Its Technological Reproducibility, And Other Writings On Media

Cat Links 2023 Blog, Lecture 1: Architecture, Film & The Modern City

[READING RESPONSE] Walter Benjamin

Posted on mattccy@connect.hku.hk

In his essay, Benjamin highlighted that aura – the “here and now” of an original artwork, is diminishing with the rise of technological reproduction. Despite lamenting the loss in artworks’ cultural value this caused, Benjamin, as a socialist, was supportive of this as it allowed the masses, instead of only the bourgeoisie, to appreciate artworks, reminiscent of how films were created for the masses. Benjamin saw political potential in films – a democratized medium which lacked an ‘original copy’ and aura. Yet, this was merely a potential, as even today, capitalists strived to insert aura into films. Studios release ‘Extended

Continue reading[READING RESPONSE] Walter Benjamin

Cat Links Lecture 1 Architecture, Film & the Modern City

Reading Response: Walter Benjamin

Posted on u3608449@connect.hku.hk

With the onset of rapid technological development, the production and dissemination of myriad forms of artwork have been done through the use of technology, manipulating an original piece of artwork. According to Walter Benjamin, this act contributes to the loss of the essence of originality: the artwork’s uniqueness or an ‘aura.’ Although the author depicts this as a negative outcome, I believe the manipulation of originality by utilizing different tools and skill sets allows for diverse interpretations. Moreover, the increased accessibility due to the advancement in the mediums through which the artwork can be shared and viewed enables the masses

Continue readingReading Response: Walter Benjamin

Cat Links Lecture 1: Architecture, Film & The Modern City

[READING RESPONSE] Walter Benjamin

Posted on u3597845@connect.hku.hk

With the rising technology and productivity, art was pushed off the pedestal and, like commodities, became reproducible and took on a new value. Benjamin attempted to show us that technological reproducibility has taken away the authenticity and the aura of artworks. I was pretty confused when I saw the word “aura” for the first time and wondered how this word could be connected with the artwork. But I gradually understand his argument that aura, as described from a spatial perspective, is the unique manifestation of something so close in feeling but at a certain distance away. It is featured by

Continue reading[READING RESPONSE] Walter Benjamin

Cat Links Lecture 1: Architecture, Film & The Modern City, Uncategorized

[READING RESPONSE] Walter Benjamin

Posted on u3607513@connect.hku.hk

In Walter Benjamin’s The Work Of Art in the Age of Its Techonological Reproducibility, he listed out the advantages and disadvantages of technological reproduction of artworks. For the pros, by technological reproduction, artworks can be reproduced and modified in a larger quantity and manner, as well as a longer period of preservation (Protected by wax or acrylics to prevent fading), fulfilling the increasing demand of art appreciation in the market. On the contrary, high interpretation of technology in the artfield hinders the aura of the artworks. Aura is some specific qualities of an artwork that cannot be communicated through technological and

Continue reading[READING RESPONSE] Walter Benjamin

Cat Links Lecture 1 Architecture, Film & the Modern City

Reading Response: Walter Benjamin

Posted on Ash

This article is a pure challenge for students without previous experience of reading literal and artistic works. Through the difficult words plus my guess, I have a vague feeling that the author is anti-modernization. He brags how valuable the greeks’ arts are and claims that it is all credited to the few spaces for further improvement of these works. He also devalues those ‘reproductions’ of technology. Admittedly, each essay is written with the author’s bias, I dislike his bias on the circumstance. The value of a film doesn’t decrease merely because part of it is finished by machine, human’s power

Continue readingReading Response: Walter Benjamin

Cat Links 2021 Blog, Lecture 1 Architecture, Film & the Modern City

[Reading Response] Walter Benjamin

Posted on chungwsc

The excerpt discusses the implications of technology as a tool in producing (or, reproducing) art, and explores how this may alter, even damage the aura and authenticity of art arguing how advancements in technology (namely film) lead to a decay in artistic value. Interestingly, aura is described very similarly to the living language: it can be communicated, it is dependant on culture, context; it is changeable. Does this not mean that technology can become part of the scope of aura, as it evolves over time? Perhaps what worries Benjamin, is not only the influx of machines and technology, but that society is not

Continue reading[Reading Response] Walter Benjamin

Cat Links 2021 Blog, Lecture 1 Architecture, Film & the Modern City, Uncategorized

Reading Response: Walter Benjamin

Posted on Matsumoto Ami

The fundamental concept discussed in Benjamin’s essay is the concerns on mass production of arts and elaborate his understanding toward artworks with the key terms “authenticity” and “aura”. I personally agree that technological reproduction not only changed how art is developed and created but also modified the definition of what art was. Although back in the time ancient people could produce replicas of bronzes, terra cottas and coins, nowadays the advance technology like photography, film and lithography significantly shorten the time is needed to reproduce a work which may lead to lack of uniqueness and value of an artwork. Besides

Continue readingReading Response: Walter Benjamin

Cat Links Lecture 1 Architecture, Film & the Modern City

[READING RESPONSE]: WALTER BENJAMIN

Posted on lesley02

I like the word ‘aura’ that used by Benjamin, which generally means an artistic tissue of the unique distance between identity and art. Benjamin wrote critically in his article and he is biased to the negative side brought by technological reproducibility. He said ‘All efforts to aestheticize politics culminate in one point. That one point is war’. I want to discuss aura. ‘Film divorce the aura’ seems a bit absolute. Though the camera substitutes the audience, new distance emerges between audience and the screen. Aura isn’t divorced, it turns into thousands of new auras. Every identity can feel an unique

Continue reading[READING RESPONSE]: WALTER BENJAMIN

Cat Links Lecture 1 Architecture, Film & the Modern City

Reading Response: Walter Benjamin

Posted on yhl2501

Benjamin is critical about the technological reproduction, which diminishes the aura of the original art, especially under capitalism. I will resonate his argument while adding my two cents on it. Reproduction undermines the aesthetic value of an art form. Reproduced rapidly with technology, art is now no long unique nor authentic, leading to the decay of its aura. Therefore, we view art differently from the past. Flickering and fast moving images have revolutionized on our perception on art. For example, the Shambles is featured in a Harry Potter as Diagon Alley. The movie is so famous that this fictional identity

Continue readingReading Response: Walter Benjamin