Blog Assignment 6

In "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” by Walter Benjamin, argues, “To an ever greater degree the work of art reproduced becomes the work of art designed for reproducibility. From a photographic negative, for example, one can make any number of prints; to ask for the authentic print makes no sense.”  By this he means art used to have authenticity and aura as back in the 18th Century only origionals were created.  As soon as reproduction of art and design, and the digital age began, the authenticity and aura was lost as art was mass produced so much that no difference was seen between the origional and the reproduced.  I agree and also disagree with Benjamin.  I agree that new digital technology has made it harder for us to come across a truly authentic piece of art or design.  Things are so widely reproduced that it's very uncommon to see the origionals of any work, yet replicas are seen everywhere. 

People also argue that no art or design is authentic, as every designer or artist got ideas for their work, from someone else's work. Art and design has been done for so long that almost everything has been done before.  Things may have been expanded on but there will always be elements that are the same.  I believe this, yet I disagree that it takes away the authenticity or aura of origionals.  To know you're standing in front of a great artists origional work gives a feeling that no replica or image on the internet can give you, no matter how much that work was reproduced. 

The opposing also argue that every piece of work is authentic, even when reproduced, as nothing is ever exactly the same.  For example when printing a single photo 10 times, some might have a slightly different colour or tone because of the printer, one might come out a slightly smaller or larger size, over time a couple might age and others kept safe and new.  Therefore every piece of art or design is origional and has it's own qualities that distinguish it from others, whether it be something as small as a rip in the page.

When origional artworks are viewed by people, they will never give off that same aura as they would've in the 18th Century when computers, photos and reproduction didn't exist.  This is understandable as when things are reproduced and photos are posted over the internet, seeing amazing art and design becomes less exciting because it's so easy to come across it.  But I don't think an origional will ever completely lose its authenticity and aura, as this is the piece of work that the designer held and worked on themselves, which will always remain uncommon and amazing to see.

Benjamin, W. (1992). The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction (pp. 211-244 ) in Illuminations, trans. Harry Zohn. London: Fontana.