Viires.pdf

8/13/2019 Viires.pdf

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MIT 6. Media in Transition: Stone and Papyrus, Storage and Transmission. April 24-26, 2009Panel: Te !or" o# Art in te Age o# $igital Multipli%ity

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In Search of the Lost Aura

Piret Viires,P.$.

Tallinn University, Estonia / Estonian Literary Museum, Tartu, Estonia

E-mail: [email protected]

In his well-known essay The ork o! "rt in the "#e o! Me$hani$al %e&ro'u$tion( )!irst

&u*lishe' in 1+, alter en0amin $laime' that a work o! art is $hara$terise' *y an aura,

whi$h the viewer &er$eives as a su*lime s&ell or 'evotion. In the a#e o! me$hani$al

re&ro'u$tion this aura, a$$or'in# to en0amin, is lost, *e$ause the work o! art is no lon#er

uniue *ut re&ro'u$e', an' the ne$essary 'istan$e !or the aura to emer#e *etween the work o!

art an' the viewer has vanishe'.

en0amin writes: 23ne mi#ht su*sume the eliminate' element in the term aura( an'

#o on to say: that whi$h withers in the a#e o! me$hani$al re&ro'u$tion is the aura o!

the work o! art. This is a sym&tomati$ &ro$ess whose si#ni!i$an$e &oints *eyon' the

realm o! art. 3ne mi#ht #enerali4e *y sayin#: the te$hniue o! re&ro'u$tion 'eta$hes

the re&ro'u$e' o*0e$t !rom the 'omain o! tra'ition. y makin# many re&ro'u$tions it

su*stitutes a &lurality o! $o&ies !or a uniue e5isten$e.( )en0amin 1+6: 77.

"n' $ontinues: The $on$e&t o! aura whi$h was &ro&ose' a*ove with re!eren$e to

histori$al o*0e$ts may use!ully *e illustrate' with re!eren$e to the aura o! natural ones.

e 'e!ine the aura o! the latter as the uniue &henomenon o! a 'istan$e, however

$lose it may *e.( )en0amin 1+6: 778.en0amin9s ma0or e5am&les are &hoto#ra&hy an' $inema, where the aura has 'isa&&eare'

unlike, say, in !or e5am&le a uniue &aintin# or s$ul&ture.

hen en0amin wrote his essay, the !ilm an' &hoto#ra&hy were in'ee' the most

re$ent innovations o! te$hnolo#y. To'ay9s $om&uter te$hnolo#y was unknown to en0amin.

is i'eas $an nevertheless *e a'a&te' an' #eneralise' in mo'ern te$hnolo#i$al an' $ultural

situations. "lthou#h en0amin in his essay talks a*out the lost aura in the a#e o! me$hani$al

re&ro'u$tion, the analo#y is vali' also a*out the $urrent, 'i#ital a#e. e $oul' $laim that in

'i#ital a#e, too, the aura o! a work o! art has *een lost, *ein# 'estroye' *y 'i#ital

multi&li$ity.

This $laim is &rimarily true in works o! art in 'i#ital !orm, whi$h mainly s&rea' over

the Internet. The &resent &a&er ne#le$ts other art !orms an' !o$uses on 'i#ital literature on the

Internet.

;i#ital literature s&rea'in# on the Internet is a wi'e notion $ontainin# many 'i!!erent

su*-$ate#ories. In a''ition to literature in tra'itional !orm, the Internet has $y*erte5ts with

??+ an' tar#ete'

!inan$e' resear$h &ro0e$t no. =>A8s6.


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$om&li$ate' stru$ture as well as &henomena that shi!t the *or'ers o! literature, the !rin#es o!

literature, in$lu'in# !or e5am&le !an !i$tion an' *lo#s.

e $an $onsi'er !an !i$tion an' *lo#s as an e5am&le o! &ostmo'ernist

'emo$ratisation o! literature, o! the so-$alle' Beveryman9s literature9, whi$h is $onne$te'

with the term 2&arti$i&atory $ulture(, i.e. $ulture $reate' not only *y &ro!essionals *ut *y all

intereste' &eo&le an' amateur authors. )=ee also Cenkins 1++7, 7. "n' the Internet is a

&er!e$t &la$e !or su$h kin' o! $ulture.

>an !i$tion mostly re&resents te5ts $reate' as a so-$alle' &seu'o-seuel to a *ook,

$omi$s, TD series or !ilm. These are not written *y &ro!essional authors, *ut !ans. The

$hara$ters are usually !rom the relevant *ook or !ilm, an' the lo$ation $oul' *e the same too

)althou#h not always !an !i$tion author sim&ly a''s new &lot lines. The main reason why

!an !i$tion is &ro'u$e' is love !or the o*0e$ts the !an authors !an$y an' a wish to see their

!avourite $hara$ters in more s$enes than the real authors o! the *ooks or !ilms have !oreseen.

The other reason is entertainment an' relatin# to the !an $ommunity who all like a *ook, !ilm

et$. " se&arate !an !i$tion su*-#rou& $ontains te5ts written *y !ans o! various &o& or ro$k

*an's F this is the so-$alle' real &erson !i$tion. Go& or ro$k i'ols in su$h stories a$t a$$or'in#

to the author9s wish in a totally new environment or sometimes the stories are $onne$te'

with their a$tivity in musi$. The authors9 !antasy is $om&letely let loose here, only &reservin#the i'ols9 &ersonal ima#e, $hara$teristi$s an' a&&earan$e, to make it easier !or the rea'er to

#ras& the &lot.In !an !i$tion, the usual author9s role as well as the rea'er9s role has $han#e' F

on Internet !orums the rea'ers 'ire$tly inter!ere with their $omments in the writin# &ro$ess.

ere we $an re$all the 'e!inition o! an a$tive rea'er( *y Es&en "arseth. hile #enerally a

rea'er9s tra'itional role is limite' to inter&retation, then in terms o! 'i#ital literature a rea'er

serves !our !un$tions. " rea'er has an a$tive role F in a''ition to inter&retation he navi#ates,

$on!i#ures an' writes )"arseth 1++?: 8. =o, in the $ase o! !an !i$tion the rea'ers are a$tiverea'ers( F instea' o! mere rea'in#, they inter!ere with the author9s $reative &ro$ess.

%esear$hin# !an !i$tion is a relatively new area, althou#h a lot o! work has *een 'one in

re$ent years )see also usse, ellekson 7.

In the re$ent years also *lo#s have s&rea' vastly over the Internet an' have ui$kly

a$uire' the status o! alternative 0ournalism or alternative &u*lishin# &la$e, *ut most o! the

*lo#s 'es$ri*e their authors9 'aily lives. "s enry Cenkins has &ut it:

lo#s are thus more 'ynami$ than ol'er-style home &a#es, more &ermanent than

&osts to a net 'is$ussion list. They are more &rivate an' &ersonal than tra'itional0ournalism, more &u*li$ than 'iaries( )Cenkins 7: 1?+.


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owever, the $urrent &a&er !o$uses on *lo#s that $oul' *e $onne$te' with literature. Literary

*lo#s $an *e those &ro'u$e' *y writers themselves, where they e5&ress their o&inions also

a*out $ultural or so$ial events or &u*lish their work )e.#. the *lo# o! Estonian writer

Hivisil'nik1 or there are *lo#s *y amateur authors with literary am*itions who use *lo#s to

s&rea' their work.

%eturnin# to en0amin an' the aura o! a work o! art, we $oul' $laim that !an !i$tion

an' *lo#s as &henomena o! literature la$k aura in en0amin9s sense F a!ter all, these are

!reely a$$essi*le, en'lessly re&ro'u$e' works. The Internet !an !i$tion or *lo#s are *y no

means uniue the te5ts are a$$essi*le to thousan's o! &eo&le, thousan's o! $om&uters

re&ro'u$e the same work o! art simultaneously. There is also no lon#er any 'istan$e *etweenthe rea'er an' the work, no 'evotion an' ar'ent res&e$t !or a work o! art.

To'ay9s 'i#ital literature is a wi'ely s&rea'in# an' ui$kly 'evelo&in# &henomenon.

esi'es the emer#in# o! new literary !orms, also the te5ts &reviously &u*lishe' in &rint !orm

$ontinue to *e 'i#italise' an' ma'e availa*le via Internet. "t the same time also the uniue

ar$hive materials are *ein# 'i#italise' an' s&rea' on the Internet. It woul' thus *e &ossi*le to

say that the #eneral ten'en$y nowa'ays is re&la$in# the &rinte' $ulture with 'i#ital $ulture

an' the &rinte' te5ts with 'i#ital te5ts on the Internet.

There e5ist $ases, however, where on the $ontrary to the 'ominant tren', virtual

Internet literature has *een trans!orme' *a$k into &rinte' $ulture. "lthou#h these $ases $an *e

uite 'i!!erent, the $urrent &a&er views two F in the !irst $ase it is !an !i$tion that is

trans!orme' into &rinte' $ulture, an' in the se$on' the *lo#s. These $ases 'i!!er also *e$ause

!an !i$tion usually remains in the e5&anse o! the Internet an' is turne' into *ooks very rarely,

whereas this is more $ommon $on$ernin# *lo#s.

The !irst e5am&le is !an !i$tion *y a Thai author $alle' Linna on#wantanee. Linna

was a !an o! the %ussian #irl *an' t.".T.u. an' &u*lishe' !an !i$tion on !orums 'e'i$ate' to

the *an' in 7 un'er the username o! Uhaku. The !i$tion was title' 2(.7Linna9s !an

!i$tion *elon#s in a su*-#rou& o! real &erson!i$tion the main $hara$ters were t.".T.u. sin#ers

Lena Hatina an' Culia Dolkova. t.".T.u. was lar#ely known *e$ause it $arrie' out its

marketin# via &seu'o-les*ian ima#es, thus a$uirin# !ans mainly amon# youn# les*ian an'

*ise5ual #irls. "s a marketin# tri$k this worke' very well, althou#h it ha' nothin# to 'o with

1htt&://kivisil'nik.*lo#s&ot.$om/7E.#. htt&://www.tatu.us/!orum/


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the real se5ual in$linations o! the sin#ers. "t the same time, ty&i$al t.".T.u. !an !i$tion

!o$use' on Culia an' Lena9s &ossi*le love a!!air.

"lthou#h Linna9s !an !i$tion 2( was the usual t.".T.u. !an !i$tion in a sense that its

!o$us was on Culia an' Lena9s love a!!air, it nevertheless 'i!!ere' !rom others *y its sheer

*ulk, maturity, stron# visual &ower in 'e&i$tin# the s$enes )Linna ha' stu'ie' at !ilm s$hool

an' its entirety. Linna &u*lishe' her !an !i$tion at !orums, a ty&i$al &la$e to 'o it. =he

&u*lishe' her story *y $ha&ters, 'e&en'in# on how she #ot on with her writin#. The rea'ers

on the !orums rea$te' to every &u*lishe' $ha&ter, $ommente' them, e5&resse' their

a&&re$iation, an' ma'e their own su##estions a*out how the story mi#ht $ontinue. Linna

re&lie' to the $omments an' o$$asionally !ollowe' the a'vi$e there was a $ontinuous a$tive

'is$ussion a*out what she was writin#.

y the en' o! 7 Linna ha' !inishe' her !an !i$tion. The !an !i$tion authors who

!inish their work usually em*ark on a new &ro0e$t or !in' another ho**y. Linna, however,

'e$i'e' to &u*lish her work in a *ook !orm.

>or that &ur&ose she wante' to a*an'on the $anons o! !an !i$tion the !irst ste& in that

'ire$tion was to lose $onta$t with the real t.".T.u. sin#ers F Lena an' Culia. =o Linna

$han#e' the &rota#onists9 names, thus 'isru&tin# the $onne$tion with t.".T.u. !an

$ommunity. "s a result, this !an !i$tion *e$ame or'inary !i$tion, with !i$titious $hara$ters.This $han#e o! names was *y no means enou#h. 3ne o! the &rereuisites o! real &erson !an

!i$tion is the !a$t that the a&&earan$e an' $hara$ter o! the &rota#onists are known to the

rea'ers, i.e. a !an !i$tion author has no nee' to $reate a wholly new $hara$ter, *ut only has to

vary on the #iven theme. Linna9s $han#e' novel now reuire' that she worke' more on her

$hara$ters, ma'e them more &re$ise an' &ro!oun'. The te5t was a''itionally thorou#hly

e'ite', the style was &olishe' an' ver*al e5$ess was a*an'one'. The *ook a&&eare' in 78

)on#wantanee 78a an' is *ein# sol' on res&e$ta*le on-line *ookstores su$h as "ma4onan' arnes an' o*les.

hy 'i' Linna on#wantanee 'o thisJ 3ne o! the reasons was the !a$t that she was

in the &osition that !an !i$tion has its limits an' the author is not !ree when writin# a*out real

&eo&le. =he also ar#ue':

"n' then one moment I reali4e' that I was no lon#er writin# a*out my &o& i'ols, *ut

a*out mysel!. I 'is$overe' !eelin#s an' thou#hts in mysel! that I 'i' not know e5iste'

in me an' that I was then &ourin# in my writin#. This moment I reali4e' that I was no

lon#er writin# !an !i$tion. >an !i$tion is entertainment. Literature, the true art, is what

tou$hes you 'ee&ly an' a$tually. =o I #ave u& !an !i$tion an' turne' my novel intoliterature( )on#wantanee 78*.


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"nswerin# the uestion why she 'e$i'e' to &u*lish this as a *ook, she sai':

2"s to why I want to see it in *ook !ormJ ell, woul'n9t it *e ni$e to see what I

wrote on my shel!J( )on#wantanee 78*.

This was then a $ase where 'i#ital literature was 'ire$tly trans!orme' into &rinte'

literature. The author was restri$te' *y the rules o! !an !i$tion, an' she wishe' to see her

work in a !orm whi$h she $onsi'ere' ty&i$al o! the Breal literature9 F a *ook that woul' *e

2ni$e to see on my shel!(.

"nother e5am&le I woul' like to ta$kle here are the *lo#s o! two Estonians - E&&

Getrone an' ;a#mar %eintam. oth have *een a$tive *lo##ers !or years es&e$ially E&&

Getrone who wrote *lo#s all the time when she live' in "meri$a. In their $onstru$tion, *lo#s

sli#htly resem*le !an !i$tion. "lthou#h the stories mostly $on$ern the authors9 'aily li!e, an'

not !i$tion as in !an !i$tion, the $ommon !eature is that the *lo#, too, o!!ers a $han$e to

$omment that the rea'ers ea#erly use. Thus the rea'er inter!eres in the author9s writin#

&ro$ess, e5&resses an o&inion, a''s somethin#, an' sometimes su##ests what the author

shoul' write. =o, in this $ase, we $an see the a$tive rea'er( a#ain. "n' like on !an !i$tion

!orum, the *lo# author also re&lies to his or her rea'ers, e5&lains !a$ts, ar#ues an'

o$$asionally meets the wishes o! the rea'ers. The *lo# author like !an !i$tion author thus

re$eives the rea'ers9 rea$tion 'ire$tly, unlike a *ook author who has to wait !or the $riti$s9o&inions or meet the rea'ers on a s&e$ial evenin#.

E&& Getrone9s "meri$an-*lo# 'es$ri*es the author9s 'aily li!e, #ettin# use' to an

alien $ultural environment an' her hus*an'9s !amily. Getrone is &re$ise an' has e5$ellent

style, an' althou#h her writin# o!!ers 'iary-like sket$hes o! various situations, her *lo# $oul'

still *e re#ar'e' as literature.

;a#mar %eintam9s *lo# 2'aki.ela*.siin(8is also a witty 'es$ri&tion o! her 'aily li!e

&resente' with #oo' style. The author is a 0ournalist *y &ro!ession in her twenties. ere5&erien$es an' im&ressions have *een $om&are' with the series 2=e5 an' the Kity( an' with

2The ;iary o! ri'#et Cones(.

In 7? *oth E&& Getrone an' ;a#mar %eintam &u*lishe' their *lo#s as a *ook,

Getrome9s *ook was in two volumes title' 2Minu Ameeri"a( )My "meri$a(, Getrone 7?

an' %eintam9s was $alle' 2da"i.ela&.siin( )'aki.lives.here(, %eintam 7?. Cust as with

Linna on#wantanee9s novel 2(, we have here a#ain the uestion o! why the *lo#

authors were not satis!ie' with their work s&rea'in# only on the Internet. "!ter all, the

htt&://e&&&&&.tahvel.in!o/8htt&://'aki.tahvel.in!o/
http://eppppp.tahvel.info/http://eppppp.tahvel.info/http://daki.tahvel.info/http://daki.tahvel.info/http://eppppp.tahvel.info/http://daki.tahvel.info/


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Internet rea'ershi& is in!initely *i##er than !or any &rinte' *ook. e $an thus #uess that the

authors 'i' not un'ertake this *e$ause o! rea'ers or &o&ularity. The *usiness si'e $oul' *e

'is$ar'e' as well, *e$ause Linna, !or e5am&le, &ai' hersel! !or the &u*li$ation o! her novel

)known as vanity&u*lishin#, without earnin# anythin# s&e$ial !rom the sale. oth Getrone

an' %eintam &u*lishe' their *ooks at Getrone9s own &u*lishin# house it is most unlikely that

either has earne' #reat sums o! money in Estonia *e$ause o! the small &o&ulation an' small

&rint runs.

The answer to the uestion o! why the authors wish to turn their &o&ular writin# on

the Internet into *ooks, must lie somewhere else. In *oth $ases F Linna9s an' Getrone-

%eintam9s $ases F the authors ha' a !irm i'ea o! the *ook9s sym*oli$ value an' !an !i$tion or

*lo#s on the Internet hel' no su$h meanin# !or the authors as their works in the !orm o! a

&rinte' *ook.

There!ore, I woul' su##est that a &rinte' *ook hol's more sym*oli$ value !or the

authors, an' is more elitist than Internet literature. The *ook !orm, a &rinte' work, is

asso$iate' with the so-$alle' Breal literature9. avin# thus re0e$te' the all-&ermissive an'

un$ontrolla*le nature o! Internet literature an' the $lose intera$tion with rea'ers, the *ook

!orm has a meanin# o! a si#n !or the authors. They *e$ome more like "uthors, their works

are more like ooks an' thus more Literature.%e$allin# a#ain alter en0amin an' his $on$e&t a*out the aura o! a work o! art, we

$oul' say that it is namely the authorswho re!use to a$$e&t the 'isa&&earan$e o! the aura o!

work o! art in the 'i#ital a#e, an' are tryin# to restore it instea'. " *ook there!ore *e$omes an

elitist art !orm, 'istin#uishe' !rom the Internet literature in mass $onsum&tion. This also

in'i$ates that the authors9 way o! thinkin# who trans!orm Internet literature into *ooks relies

on the mo'ernist elitist meanin# o! a work o! art, an' not on the &ostmo'ernist multi&li$ity o!

literary !orms. Mo'ernism sees the author as $entral, an' the authors9 sin#ularity isem&hasise' *y their sin#ular works o! art &ostmo'ernism a*olishes the *oun'aries *etween

elitist art an' mass $ulture, *lurs the roles o! the author an' the rea'er, an' re#ar's literature

as a mi5ture o! 'i!!erent !orms, multi&li$ity o! various me'ia. It $oul' *e thus sai' that 'i#ital

literature on the Internet is essentially &ostmo'ernist an' in $ase the authors wish to a*an'on

this s&here an' &u*lish their Internet literature as *ooks, they are tryin# to move !rom the

&ostmo'ernist &ara'i#m to the mo'ernist one. This also $on!irms that 'es&ite the 'e$a'es-

lon# 'omination o! &ostmo'ernist $ulture situation, some authors always asso$iate Breal

literature9 with mo'ernist elitist literature, e5&resse' in a &rinte' *ook.


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?

=o we $an 'raw a line *etween Internet literature F mass literature, a$$essi*le to all

an' $onstantly $han#in# F an' *ook literature, whi$h has *e$ome or is still *e$omin# the

mark o! the elite.

"t this &oint it shoul' *e a&&ro&riate to re$all the s$ien$e-!i$tion novel$iamond Age

*y eal =te&henson.The *ook 'es$ri*es a !uture so$iety *ase' on nanote$hnolo#y an'

virtual reality, whi$h is simultaneously eo-Di$torian $lass so$iety. The entire humankin' is

usin# virtual, ele$troni$, $onstantly $han#in# in!ormation. There is, however, a 'i!!eren$e:

the lower $lasses, the masses, rea' ele$troni$ &a&ers, where the in!ormation kee&s $han#in#.

The hi#her $lass, aristo$ra$y, rea's &a&ers that are stati$ an' never $han#e. The most elitist

$lass rea's &a&ers &rinte' on &a&er. )=te&henson 1++A: F?. This s$ien$e-!i$tion novel

wittily &re'i$ts that so$iety $oul' 'evelo& towar's a situation where the elite in an

overwhelmin# virtuality $oul' *e marke' *y a *ook or a news&a&er &rinte' on &a&er.

e $oul' thus $laim that in the $urrent a#e o! 'i#ital multi&li$ity a *ook &rinte' on

&a&er a$uires an elitist si#ni!i$an$e. " *ook o!!ers a *i##er o&&ortunity to $a&ture the lost

aura o! a work o! art *esi'es, a *ook mi#ht also a$uire a $ult value in en0amin9s sense.

" &rinte' *ook si#ni!ies the new elite. The authors who &u*lish their *ooks as *ooks

wish to *elon# amon# the elite an' the rea'ers rea'in# &rinte' *ooks are elitist rea'ers. e

$an thus say in $on$lusion that the aura lost in the 'i#ital virtual worl' has *een !oun' a#ainin the worl' o! &rinte' *ooks.

%E>E%EKE=

"arseth, Es&en 1++?. 'y&erte(t. Perspe%ti)es on *rgodi% +iterature. altimore, Lon'on: TheCohns o&kins University Gress.

en0amin, alter 1+6. The work o! art in the a#e o! me$hani$al re&ro'u$tion. .en0amin,Illuminations. E'ite' an' with an intro'u$tion *y annah "ren't. Translate' *yarry ohn. ew Nork: ar$ourt, ra$e O orl', In$., &&. 71+F7A.

usse, Hristina, ellekson, Haren 7. an i%tion and an 'ommunities in te Age o#Internet.Ce!!erson, Lon'on: M$>arlan' Gu*lishers.

Cenkins, enry 1++7. Te(tual Poa%ers. Tele)ision ans and Parti%ipatory 'ulture. ewNork, Lon'on: %outle'#e.

Cenkins, enry 7.ans, loggers, amers. *(ploring Parti%ipatory 'ulture.ew Nork,Lon'on: ew Nork University Gress.


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Getrone, E&& 7?. Minu Ameeri"a. /. osa.eportaa1e and pitimusi 20032006. 2. osa.lest5endusi unelmatemaalt 2003200.Tartu: Getrone Grint.%eintam, ;a#mar 7?. da"i.ela&.siin. Tartu: Getrone Grint.

=te&henson, eal 1++A. Te $iamond Age. ew Nork-Toronto-Lon'on-=y'ney-"u$klan':antam ooks.

on#wantanee, Linna 78a. 666. A 7o)el.ew Nork, Lin$oln, =han#hai: iUniverse, In$.

on#wantanee, Linna 78*. =yno&sis !rom &ersonal e-mail $orres&on'en$e with Linna

on#wantanee in >e*ruaryF"&ril, 78.

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