walter benjamin.ppt

Walter Walter

BenjaminBenjamin

As sociological and cultural critic - As sociological and cultural critic -

Benjamin combined ideas drawn Benjamin combined ideas drawn from from

historical materialism, historical materialism, German idealism, and German idealism, and Jewish mysticism Jewish mysticism

to create a critique of culture which to create a critique of culture which contributed much to Western contributed much to Western Marxism and aesthetic theory. Marxism and aesthetic theory.

his literary workshis literary works

Essays on Charles Baudelaire, Essays on Charles Baudelaire, Translated the Tableaux Parisiens Translated the Tableaux Parisiens

edition of Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du edition of Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du mal mal

Translated Proust's In Search of Lost Translated Proust's In Search of Lost Time,Time,

Critical essays – Critical essays – • Task of the Translator and Task of the Translator and • The Work of Art in the Age of The Work of Art in the Age of

Mechanical Reproduction. Mechanical Reproduction.

Benjamin’s concept of “auratic Benjamin’s concept of “auratic perception” was influenced byperception” was influenced by

Johann Jakob BachofenJohann Jakob Bachofen (1815 – 1887): (1815 – 1887): a Swiss anthropologist and sociologist, who is a Swiss anthropologist and sociologist, who is known for his research into matriarchal clans. known for his research into matriarchal clans.

The title of his seminal 1861 book The title of his seminal 1861 book Mutterrecht, or Mother Right: an Mutterrecht, or Mother Right: an investigation of the religious and investigation of the religious and juridical character of matriarchy in the juridical character of matriarchy in the Ancient WorldAncient World

`̀

The Work of Art The Work of Art in the Age of in the Age of Mechanical Mechanical Reproduction Reproduction -Walter Benjamin-Walter Benjamin

What the essay is about:What the essay is about:

In principle a work of art has always been In principle a work of art has always been reproducible.reproducible.

There have been two different There have been two different manifestations of technical reproduction– manifestations of technical reproduction– • the reproduction of works of art and the reproduction of works of art and • the art of the film –.the art of the film –.

Benjamin reveals the nature of the Benjamin reveals the nature of the repercussions that these two repercussions that these two manifestations have had on art in its manifestations have had on art in its traditional form traditional form

No reproduction of a work of No reproduction of a work of art can duplicate one art can duplicate one element: the presence of the element: the presence of the original work of art in time original work of art in time and space, its unique and space, its unique existence at the place where existence at the place where it happens to be .it happens to be .

The presence of the original The presence of the original is the prerequisite to the is the prerequisite to the concept of authenticity . The concept of authenticity . The sphere of this authenticity is sphere of this authenticity is outside the technical outside the technical reproducibility.reproducibility.

Concepts of: Concepts of: original _ authenticityoriginal _ authenticity historical testimony _ historical testimony _

authority of the art objectauthority of the art object

AuthenticityAuthenticitydependent ondependent on

historical testimonyhistorical testimonySo if So if

Authenticity Authenticity jeopardizedjeopardizedThen Then historical testimonyhistorical testimony jeopardized.jeopardized.Affecting the Affecting the authority of the authority of the objectobject. .

Since the historical testimony Since the historical testimony rests on the authenticity, the rests on the authenticity, the former, too, is jeopardized by former, too, is jeopardized by reproduction when reproduction when substantive duration ceases substantive duration ceases to matter. And what is really to matter. And what is really jeopardized when the jeopardized when the historical testimony is historical testimony is affected is the authority of affected is the authority of the object. the object.

Benjamin subsumes that Benjamin subsumes that element which has been element which has been eliminated from the art eliminated from the art object in the term “aura” object in the term “aura” and concludes:and concludes:

that which withers in the that which withers in the age of mechanical age of mechanical reproduction is the aura of reproduction is the aura of the work of art. the work of art.

Changes with timeChanges with time::

The mode of human sense The mode of human sense perception changes with humanity’s perception changes with humanity’s entire mode of existence. entire mode of existence.

What changes?What changes?• The manner in which human sense The manner in which human sense

perception is organized, perception is organized, • the medium in the medium in which it is accomplishedwhich it is accomplished

The withering away of aura:The withering away of aura:

Related to the increasing significance Related to the increasing significance of the masses in modern social life:of the masses in modern social life:

1. the desire to bring things closer in 1. the desire to bring things closer in space,space,

2. inclination to overcome the 2. inclination to overcome the uniqueness of a work by accepting uniqueness of a work by accepting its reproduction. its reproduction.

A work of art is unique because A work of art is unique because it is rooted in tradition.it is rooted in tradition.

Secular/ religiousSecular/ religious

ReligiousReligious

/secular/secular

Value of a work of artValue of a work of art

1.1. Cult value :Cult value :• Secular cult (hero-worship)Secular cult (hero-worship)• Religious cult (instrument of magic)Religious cult (instrument of magic)

2.2. Secular value (aesthetic)Secular value (aesthetic)• BeautyBeauty• Politics (Utilitarian)Politics (Utilitarian)

PhotographyPhotography

Exhibition value replaces cult valueExhibition value replaces cult value But cult value – resisting this – But cult value – resisting this –

remains through the secular cults remains through the secular cults (Diana, Elvis Presley, etc)(Diana, Elvis Presley, etc)

Photography ------Photography ------ film film

Photography – changing the nature Photography – changing the nature of artof art

Film changing the Film changing the • Medium of artMedium of art• Tool(s) used for artTool(s) used for art• Way of exhibitingWay of exhibiting• Therefore: audience perception Therefore: audience perception

changingchanging

The filmThe film

The artistic performance of a stage The artistic performance of a stage actor is presented by a cameraactor is presented by a camera

A sequence of positional views A sequence of positional views composed by the editor.composed by the editor.

Need not respect the performance as Need not respect the performance as an integral whole. an integral whole.

Hence, the new art comprises Hence, the new art comprises

• certain factors of movement which are certain factors of movement which are those of the camera,those of the camera,

• performance of the actor is subjected to performance of the actor is subjected to a series of optical testsa series of optical tests

• the audience to take the position of a the audience to take the position of a critic, without experiencing any personal critic, without experiencing any personal contact with the actorcontact with the actor

The critical eye of the The critical eye of the audience/cameraaudience/camera

The uncritical eye of the The uncritical eye of the religious/cult-valuerreligious/cult-valuer

the withering of the aurathe withering of the aura

though man has to operate with his though man has to operate with his whole living person, yet he has to whole living person, yet he has to forgo its aura. forgo its aura.

aura is tied to his presence; there aura is tied to his presence; there can be no replica of it.can be no replica of it.

Consequently, Consequently,

the aura that the aura that

envelops the actor vanishes, envelops the actor vanishes,

and with it and with it

the aura of the figure he the aura of the figure he portrays.portrays.

The only exception to this is The only exception to this is when the actor him/herself when the actor him/herself

becomes the object of a cult.becomes the object of a cult.

The film responds to the The film responds to the shriveling of the aura with an shriveling of the aura with an artificial build-up of the artificial build-up of the “personality” outside the studio. “personality” outside the studio.

The cult of the movie star … The cult of the movie star … preserves not the unique aura preserves not the unique aura of the person but the “spell of of the person but the “spell of the personality,” the phony the personality,” the phony spell of a commodity. spell of a commodity.

Thus an actor may not be Thus an actor may not be treated with the same treated with the same uncritical veneration as the uncritical veneration as the follower of a cult would give follower of a cult would give his object of worship.his object of worship.

The actor/artist has become a The actor/artist has become a commodity,- and must fulfill commodity,- and must fulfill the expectation of his the expectation of his followers.followers.

The position of the artistThe position of the artist

He knows that ultimately he will He knows that ultimately he will face the public, the consumers face the public, the consumers who constitute the marketwho constitute the market

But this market, where he offers But this market, where he offers not only his labor but also his not only his labor but also his whole self, his heart and soul, is whole self, his heart and soul, is beyond his reach. beyond his reach.

pressure to fulfill promisepressure to fulfill promise

everybody is everybody is something of an something of an

expertexpertreaders = writersreaders = writerspublished material published material has lost its aurahas lost its aura

magician/surgeonmagician/surgeonpainter/photographerpainter/photographer

the aura/ awe of magic is the aura/ awe of magic is lostlost

the authority is lostthe authority is lost

. . Dadaism: Dadaism: •a rejection of the prevailing a rejection of the prevailing standards in art through anti-art standards in art through anti-art cultural workscultural works

•A deliberate destruction of the A deliberate destruction of the aura of their creations, which aura of their creations, which they branded as reproductions they branded as reproductions with the very means of with the very means of productionproduction

DADAISMDADAISM the movement was a protest against the movement was a protest against

the bourgeois nationalist and the bourgeois nationalist and colonialist interests, which many colonialist interests, which many Dadaists believed were the root cause Dadaists believed were the root cause of the war, and against the cultural of the war, and against the cultural and intellectual conformity—in art and intellectual conformity—in art and more broadly in societyand more broadly in society

Dada art – hannah hochDada art – hannah hoch

The mass is a matrix from which all traditional behavior toward works of art issues today in a new form

Marcel Junco:Marcel Junco:

We had lost confidence in our We had lost confidence in our culture. Everything had to be culture. Everything had to be demolished. We would begin demolished. We would begin again after the "tabula rasa".again after the "tabula rasa".

Paint/ FilmPaint/ Film

for contemporary man the for contemporary man the representation of reality by the film representation of reality by the film represents a closer reflection of reality.represents a closer reflection of reality.

This is more significant than that of the This is more significant than that of the painter, since it offers, precisely painter, since it offers, precisely because the mechanical equipment because the mechanical equipment used can permeate reality to a greater used can permeate reality to a greater degree.degree.

art then – art nowart then – art now

Concept of art altered with coming Concept of art altered with coming of mechanical reproductionof mechanical reproduction

Mode of participation in art alteredMode of participation in art altered

Thus changing the way we view artThus changing the way we view art