The work of Art in the age of Mechanical Reproduction

     Benjamin in this essay focuses upon the relational between original art and its reproduction and here he is in favour of mechanical reproduction of work of art. Now, the world has progressed a lot in the field of science and technology as a result of this progress the reproduction has become possible. Now a days, any work of artis reproduciable as there are different reproducing devices photography, lithography, printing, dubbling etc. All these technologies are reflecting the reality of the society. Earlier art was in the access of few people but now it has reached to the access of common people. Some aesthetic people say that due to the mechanical reproduction of art, it has lost its “aura” a certain effect and a sort of overwhelming impression towards it. Another thing is that due to mechanical reproduction of art, it has become very difficult to trace out its presence in time and space, its unique existence of place where it happens to be, and its originality and authenticity. But Benjamin says we should not lose our hope an the loss of historicity of art and its cult value and aura because mechanical reproduction emancipates the work from its parasitical dependence on ritual. He says that he work of at has two values.
1) Cult values
2) Exhibition value
     In art exhibition value is important. Mechanical reproduction of art gives focus to exhibiton values. Aesthically oriented people say that mechanical reproduction of art is transitory whereas origincal art is permanent. Benjamin says though it is transitory society also changes. Now, the work of art is divorced from its livine origins although it still retained in weakened form its ritual function or original use value. The reproducible art work has relinquished the art from its talent link to the ritual. Now, art is proved to be political rather than theological. In this sense, Benjamin politicizes art. Now, the proletarian have to be the master of reproduction of art to control the means of reproduction and to communicate their own ideology. Benjamin sees immense potentialities in mechanical reproduction of art so as to challenges capitalism and facism. As opposed to capitalistic and Fascistic nature of traditional art what is needed in this modern time of science and technology is distraction, not concentration. Movie detaches us by not providing the chance to concentrate upon it. But by doing that it gives us the chance to absorb it. So if we are concentrated we are absorbed by the object like the painting but if we are not concentrated but distracted we absorb the object. When we absorb the object we become more critical. So criticism comes not through the attraction but through the floating images that distracts us.
     Benjamin writes in his own words “Camear introduces us to the unconscious optics as psychoanalysis to the unconscious impulses”. So the function of the camera is to reveal and analyze the ordinary things that went unnoticed in the past. Mechanical reproduction of art changes the reaction of the masses towards art. The reactionary attitude towards Picasso painting changes into the progressive reaction towards chaplin’s movie. The progressive reaction is characterized by the direct, intimate fusion of visual and emotional enjoyment with orientation of expert. Such fusion is of great social significant. The more, the decrease is there in the social significance of an art form, the more the sharper is there between criticism and enjoyment by the public. The conventional is uncritically enjoyed and new is criticized with aversion. The uniqueness of a work of art is inseparable from its being imbedded in the fabric of tradition. The tradition itself is thoroughly alive and extremely changeable. For example, a ancient status of venus stood in a different traditional context with the Greeks who made it in object of veneration, but clerics of the middle Ages viewed it as an aminous idol. Similarly, Renaissance secular cult of beauty was attached with art but reaction came by Theology of pure art. After 19th century, material value of art become abundant. Benjamin believes that work of art continues to exist if it is judged in different context. So reproduction provides the different context for the critical assessment of a work of art. He associates tradition with Nazism or Facism. He says that tradition is opposite to the contemporary crisis and renewal of man kind. So, in a sense this mechanical reproduction is important because the growing number of proletarians can challenge the capitalism and Facism with the help of mechanical reproduction. Without challenging the current property system in the society, the mass cannot overcome the bourgeois. In a sense, film is challenging every traditional type of art and feeling, it is as revolutionary against the mysterious existence of art as the masses are challenging the sub-structure of the present capitalism. So film and photography are similar to the masses or proletarians. Mechanical reproduction is liquidizing the concept of authenticity and originality. But without this liquidation were cannot grasp the positive side of reproduction.

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