JAKE WOOLF-A REFLECTION ON TECHNOLOGICAL REPRODUCTION

In order to fully understand where Walter Benjamin rooted his stance in this essay, we must first understand the time period in which he wrote it. It was during the height of the great depression, when in American society there was little to be optimistic about. The fact that Benjamin even took time out to write about art and the reproduction of art at such a time in history is quite astonishing, but in a way understandable. I say this because of the overall negative outlook by a wide variety of people about capitalism. These opinions, while not directly addressed by Benjamin, are evident in the underlying themes of his essay.

For instance, he states art reproduction is a direct result of a productive capitalist society. Now although not explicitly stated, we can assume that in other words, capitalism is so goal orientated in money making that it rarely stops for anyone or anything to appreciate its artistry. In Benjamin's eyes, photography merely helps perpetuate this very fact.

However, after this is established, he never again seems concerned with captialism or his opinions about it. Rather, I found that he focused his time much thereafter on the physical re-painting or sculpting of a piece of art. He rules out photography as detrimental to the original; in fact, he states it can be seen as its own entity and piece of art because of what new insights it may unveil about the original.

Overall, I think Benjamin did a wonderful job in anticipating how art, through the help of photography and film and their ease in capturing a moment, would be viewed in future times. He states they would be seen as merely exhibition rather than to display ones religious beliefs.