WALTER BENJAMINWALTER BENJAMIN: : THE WORK OF ART IN THE WORK OF ART IN

THE AGE OF THE AGE OF MECHANICAL MECHANICAL

REPRODUCTIONREPRODUCTION““The authenticity of a thing is the The authenticity of a thing is the essence of all that is transmissible essence of all that is transmissible

from its beginning, ranging from its from its beginning, ranging from its substantive duration to its testimony substantive duration to its testimony

to the history which it has to the history which it has experienced.”experienced.”

BENJAMIN AND THE BENJAMIN AND THE FRANKFURT SCHOOLFRANKFURT SCHOOL

History is the history of class struggle.History is the history of class struggle. Capitalist rhetoric offers the masses Capitalist rhetoric offers the masses

redemption through their work, redemption through their work, capitalism withholds from the workers capitalism withholds from the workers their own products.their own products.

Benjamin criticizes historicism and the Benjamin criticizes historicism and the narrative of historical progress. narrative of historical progress.

He believes that history can be seen in He believes that history can be seen in the historical objects of the material the historical objects of the material world as they appear to us today.world as they appear to us today.

IMPORTANT TERMSIMPORTANT TERMS

Mechanical ReproductionMechanical Reproduction AuraAura AuthenticityAuthenticity TraditionTradition Artistic Function of the Work of ArtArtistic Function of the Work of Art Exhibition Value vs Cult ValueExhibition Value vs Cult Value

THE WORK OF ARTTHE WORK OF ART

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

Mechanical reproduction, however, is new.Mechanical reproduction, however, is new. ““Even the most perfect reproduction of a Even the most perfect reproduction of a

work of art is lacking in one element: its work of art is lacking in one element: its presence in time and space, its unique presence in time and space, its unique existence at the place where it happens to existence at the place where it happens to be.”be.” AURAAURA

““The presence of the original is the The presence of the original is the prerequisite to the concept of prerequisite to the concept of authenticity.”authenticity.”

Cult Value vs. Exhibition Cult Value vs. Exhibition ValueValue

Art starts out in the service of ritual.Art starts out in the service of ritual. To say that a work of art has cult value is to To say that a work of art has cult value is to

say that its meaning is associated with its say that its meaning is associated with its unique location in time and space. It is unique location in time and space. It is embedded in “the fabric of tradition,” in ritual.embedded in “the fabric of tradition,” in ritual.

Art didn’t use to be “available” for everyone to Art didn’t use to be “available” for everyone to see.see.

The reproduced and reproducible image The reproduced and reproducible image (which might or might not have an ‘original’) (which might or might not have an ‘original’) lacks specificity in space and time. Thus the lacks specificity in space and time. Thus the ‘aura’ of the work of art decays in the era of ‘aura’ of the work of art decays in the era of mechanical reproduction.mechanical reproduction.

Cult Value vs. Exhibition Cult Value vs. Exhibition ValueValue

The shift to technologies of mechanical The shift to technologies of mechanical reproduction radically changes the reproduction radically changes the privilege of looking and makes of these privilege of looking and makes of these images a mass cultural activity.images a mass cultural activity.

This is not only a quantitative shift but This is not only a quantitative shift but also a qualitative shift in the way “art” also a qualitative shift in the way “art” is viewed and interpreted.is viewed and interpreted.

So, changes in the technological base So, changes in the technological base have real effects on the superstructure have real effects on the superstructure of society.of society.

Rituals and PoliticsRituals and Politics

“… “… mechanical reproduction emancipates the mechanical reproduction emancipates the work of art from its parasitical dependence on work of art from its parasitical dependence on ritual. To an even greater degree, the work of ritual. To an even greater degree, the work of art reproduced becomes the work of art art reproduced becomes the work of art designed for reproducibility.”designed for reproducibility.”

“…“…the instant the criterion for authenticity the instant the criterion for authenticity ceases to be applicable to artistic production, ceases to be applicable to artistic production, the total function of art is reversed. Instead of the total function of art is reversed. Instead of being based on ritual, it begins to be based on being based on ritual, it begins to be based on another practice – politics”another practice – politics”

EMANCIPATORY ART?EMANCIPATORY ART? More people get access to “art”.More people get access to “art”. Benjamin sees film not only as another art form Benjamin sees film not only as another art form

but as a critique of all art forms and thus, as a but as a critique of all art forms and thus, as a critique of modern perception. Why?...critique of modern perception. Why?...

Ideal image in photography and film Ideal image in photography and film conceals conceals its its mode of production (Barthes’s analogon).mode of production (Barthes’s analogon).

Masses have the privilege of seeing, but still only Masses have the privilege of seeing, but still only a few have the privilege of producing and a few have the privilege of producing and structuring the images that others can see:structuring the images that others can see:““So long as the movie makers capital sets the fashion, So long as the movie makers capital sets the fashion,

as a rule no other revolutionary merit can be as a rule no other revolutionary merit can be accredited to today’s film than the promotion of a accredited to today’s film than the promotion of a revolutionary criticism of traditional concepts of revolutionary criticism of traditional concepts of

art.”art.”

FOOD FOR THOUGHTFOOD FOR THOUGHT

What is the “original” in a photo?What is the “original” in a photo? What is authenticity for Benjamin? Is What is authenticity for Benjamin? Is

the “authentic” work of art defined the “authentic” work of art defined by an “original,” its place in space by an “original,” its place in space and time and its history? What is and time and its history? What is authenticity for us?authenticity for us?

What about in the Internet era, What about in the Internet era, where the line between producers where the line between producers and consumers has become blurry? and consumers has become blurry?

BAUDRILLARD: BAUDRILLARD: SIMULACRA AND SIMULACRA AND

SIMULATIONSIMULATION““The simulacrum is never that which conceals The simulacrum is never that which conceals the truth – it is the truth which conceals that the truth – it is the truth which conceals that

there is none”there is none”

The simulacrum is true.The simulacrum is true.EcclesiastesEcclesiastes

IMPORTANT TERMSIMPORTANT TERMS

SimulacraSimulacra Simulation vs dissimulationSimulation vs dissimulation HyperrealHyperreal RealReal ReferentialsReferentials NostalgiaNostalgia Ideology vs SimulationIdeology vs Simulation Illusion vs SimulationIllusion vs Simulation

SIMULACRA AND SIMULACRA AND SIMULATIONSIMULATION

““Simulation is no longer that of a Simulation is no longer that of a territory, a referential being or a territory, a referential being or a substance. It is the generation by substance. It is the generation by models of a real without origin or models of a real without origin or

reality: a hyperreal” (Baudrillard, 1).reality: a hyperreal” (Baudrillard, 1).

PEIRCE’S SEMIOTIC PEIRCE’S SEMIOTIC TRIANGLETRIANGLE

The referent got introduced as a The referent got introduced as a variant to Saussure’s description of variant to Saussure’s description of the sign and allocates a place for the sign and allocates a place for objective reality.objective reality.

However… “the age of simulation…However… “the age of simulation…begins with a liquidation of all begins with a liquidation of all referentials.”referentials.”

SIMULATIONSIMULATION

Simulation vs. Dissimulation: Simulation vs. Dissimulation:

““To dissimulate is to feign not to have what To dissimulate is to feign not to have what one has. To simulate is to feign to have one has. To simulate is to feign to have what one hasn’t.” what one hasn’t.”

““The transition from signs that dissimulate The transition from signs that dissimulate something to signs which dissimulate that something to signs which dissimulate that there is nothing, marks the decisive there is nothing, marks the decisive turning point.”turning point.”

E.g.: religious icons (crucifixes, rosaries…)E.g.: religious icons (crucifixes, rosaries…)

SIMULATIONSIMULATION

Simulation vs. representationSimulation vs. representation ““Representation starts from the Representation starts from the

principle that the sign and the real are principle that the sign and the real are equivalent…”equivalent…”

“… “… simulation starts from… the radical simulation starts from… the radical negation of the sign as value, from the negation of the sign as value, from the sign as reversion and death sentence of sign as reversion and death sentence of every reference.”every reference.”

HYPERREAL AND HYPERREAL AND IMAGINARYIMAGINARY

““Disneyland is presented as imaginary in Disneyland is presented as imaginary in order to make us believe that the rest is order to make us believe that the rest is real… It is no longer a question of a false real… It is no longer a question of a false representation of reality (ideology), but of representation of reality (ideology), but of concealing the fact that the real is no concealing the fact that the real is no longer real, and thus of saving the reality longer real, and thus of saving the reality principle.”principle.”

-Why do we need to believe in a authentic truth -Why do we need to believe in a authentic truth or reality? What powers does this serve?or reality? What powers does this serve?-Foucault’s will to knowledge and will to truth.-Foucault’s will to knowledge and will to truth.

IDEOLOGY AND IDEOLOGY AND SIMULATIONSIMULATION

Ideology, according to Louis Althusser is “the Ideology, according to Louis Althusser is “the “imaginary relation of those individuals to the “imaginary relation of those individuals to the real relations in which they live” (Althusser, 165). real relations in which they live” (Althusser, 165).

““Ideology only corresponds to a betrayal of Ideology only corresponds to a betrayal of reality by signs; simulation corresponds to a reality by signs; simulation corresponds to a short-circuit of reality and to its reduplication by short-circuit of reality and to its reduplication by signs.”signs.”

““This is ultimately why power is so in accord with This is ultimately why power is so in accord with ideological discourses and discourses on ideological discourses and discourses on ideology, for these are all discourses of truth – ideology, for these are all discourses of truth – always good, even and especially if they are always good, even and especially if they are revolutionary to counter the mortal blows of revolutionary to counter the mortal blows of simulation”simulation”

SIMULATION: TRUE OR SIMULATION: TRUE OR FALSE?FALSE?

What is real and what is imaginary?What is real and what is imaginary? Erwin Goffman and AdvertisingErwin Goffman and Advertising ModelsModels CyberspaceCyberspace Virtual CommunitiesVirtual Communities Second LifeSecond Life

What does Baudrillard mean byWhat does Baudrillard mean by

the concept “precession of simulacra?”the concept “precession of simulacra?”

FOOD FOR THOUGHTFOOD FOR THOUGHT Why are photography/video/film-based Why are photography/video/film-based

images given the code of "reality," some images given the code of "reality," some assumed direct relation to something assumed direct relation to something outside the image that it represents, refers outside the image that it represents, refers to, depicts? to, depicts? Roland Barthes: “Thus can be seen the special Roland Barthes: “Thus can be seen the special

status of the photographic image: it is a message status of the photographic image: it is a message without a code” (Barthes, 17). without a code” (Barthes, 17).

However, even analogical reproductions However, even analogical reproductions “comprise two messages: a denoted message (the “comprise two messages: a denoted message (the analogon itself) and a connoted message, which analogon itself) and a connoted message, which is the manner in which society to a certain extent is the manner in which society to a certain extent communicates what it thinks of it” (Barthes, 17)communicates what it thinks of it” (Barthes, 17)

So...................So...................

CAN THERE BE A SIGN CAN THERE BE A SIGN COMPLETELY ANALOGOUS COMPLETELY ANALOGOUS

WITH REALITY? WITH REALITY?