Art is now limited. Yes, now we can create art with every material our minds can imagine. Basically if the artist can imagine it, the artist can now create it. But art is stuck between the art work and what is recognized as art.
Walter Benjamin states that each piece of art has an "'aura'". It "withers in the age of mechanical reproduction is the aura of the work of art." Originally art was replicated solely as a practice. Until I read this article I never thought of stamping and lithography as a form of replication. But Benjamin put that idea into my head and it really did make sense. Even photographs and film are replicas of other pieces of art. Pictures of art and videos of art. Art is not just on paper, it also involves architecture and layouts of cities. Everything is art in one way or another.
Each original piece of artwork, means that one thing from the time and place it was created.
Tradition is another topic in this article. Tradition varies from culture to culture, place to place, and person to person. In the article Benjamin stated that it changes throughout history or it is "extremely changeable." I completely agree with Benjamin's statement that it is extremely changeable. Just thinking back to the way people would dress. Women had to basically be covered from head to toe, and now-a-days if anyone is covered from head to toe, they are almost considered an outsider.
"Mechanical reproduction of art changes the reaction of the masses toward art." Art is a visual and emotional enjoyment. It is made from a connection and a reaction from the viewer. Benjamin explains that in his piece "the greater the decrease in the social significance of an art form, the sharper the distinction between criticism and enjoyment by the public." He was making a significant effort to make a point to there will always be a connection between the enjoyment and the criticism in the piece. I do not agree that a mechanical reproduction of an image is an actual piece of art, the new artist is just stealing what the past artist created.
In general, this article was very interesting and had some many key points. But it was hard for me to draw solid conclusions to what Benjamin was saying, he was confusing at some points. Some of my connections to his points were kind of interpretations to what he was saying and not oh yes I completely understand what he was saying.
Article:
http://www.lilithgallery.com/arthistory/modern/The-Work-of-Art-in-the-Age-of-Mechanical-Reproduction.html
