ty ~ can, without harm, regroup and lize ita a new configuration and fay exert considerable inluence on the relation of man to realty. 6 Walter Benjamin (1892-1940) “The Work of Art in the Age of ‘Mechanical Reproduction’ Besjamin's major work during the years of his Parisian exe was the unfrished Acad project the Passagener), 2 study ofthe roots of modernty in Haussmannzate, anda Baudelae's response to i. This embodied a wider interest in new cutral forms Benjamin shared wth other Weimar intelectual. Albeit with oos in the nineteeth ce the typical and central new forms ofthe twentith century emerged though techno ‘mass reproduction: printing, the fstinstace, but especialy photograpty and cinema the preset essay Benjamin argues that the aur’ ofthe orignal, unique work fata reproducbity; but that ths, far from being someting to mourn, opens up prot possi. Originally publshed nthe Frankturt institute oural by then aperatng ne the United States), Zetscint for Sozaforschung,V, no. 1, New York, 1936. The pes vetsion is taken from the English translaton by Harry Zohn in H. Arendt (ed, Berjamin, laminations, London, 1973, pp. 219-53, (See also NCL7,) 1 [.-JAround 1900 technical reproduction had reached a standard cht not only ‘tto reproduce al tansmited works fart and thus to cause the most profound thee impact upon the publi; i also had captured a place of ts own among the ft processes, Fr the study of this standard nothings more revealing than the nature of ‘repercussions that these two different manifestations ~ the reproduction of wor and the art ofthe film ~ have had on atin its traditional form, NO Modernism as Crique 521 0 ven the most prt repouton of 2 work ofa is king in one cement a ire an) mace ania extence athe pce here happens te tees othe wrk oat determined the histor o whch wa sob Fa a same on cree, Th induc the changes wich may Mave sy inn met the jas axel 2 he Yrs changes in sae Fach it can he evel oly chil or pps anaes xn Ts perm on eroductn; hag of overs a sb Tein mich mur tetmcel om thesstn ft ca aie et the ori he prereite 0 the concept of suet. ca See the pt ron camp 0 each hi 8 dss he Ge oven nue he Mile Agente om an archive othe ice ao ple ape of aeny oui ena ~an, of ue, not seer, Confoned with sana repradution, which ws aad ne frgr the onal pesca ot de a haan Th reson eed, Fis, proces repdacion moe trina an manual repro.) Secon si ro Far nc cy a the oan soon Which wold bt ech rst att ow alt bls he oral to met the bbe Ba, bei Ba ots photograph oe poogeaph xr Fe atm ih the produto ecanzal reproduc cn be brought Mth ta nck or ete aut oft presence always depres Aelia other ork hua fr tance fo adsepe wBich aes eaes ene spate ina mov, i he ae of the at bjt, 2 ost ee names, fe autenicy sintered with whereas m0 tata eae eet rcom tu core The athenscy of thing ithe sense fal ats ssh ening; ning rm isbn duration ot eins Te hes oc than enerenced. Since the sore estima ests. o the Fe hme ton is opie by erodcton when sbsansve dation See wht realy opardaed when the hte mony fed ne shorty of he bee swum inate element inh tr ‘ua! and goon tty: shat Sa tn oc otmesanal eprdatin the sure of the work fart This Monee pot whan sificnce pnts yond the real oft One might ifalze by saying: the technique of reproduction detaches the reproduced object tht aon By making any reproductions subse ley for smgue eaten, Andi poring he eeroduin 0 mes he ores ion pedro retest bjs epee feu posons al toa tremens shaterng of ation which the obvese Contanpy coi an enewl fin. Both process ae intimately we oterporary mas ements, Tht mont powertel agent 8 he hal tance, pry int most pose frm ions i directa pects hate Hgdton ofthe ato vale clr erage Eo522 Freedom, Responsibly and Power wv “The uniqueness ofa work of arts inseparable from is being imbedded inthe frie of tradition, [,.-] Originally the contextual integration of art in tradition found its expression in the cult. We know thatthe earliest at works originated in the service of ‘itul ~ fist the magical, then the religious kind It is significant chat the existence fof the work of at with reference to its aur is never entirely separated from its rca Faneton. In other words, the unique value of the authentic’ work of ar has its basis in ritual, the location of its original use value. This vitualistic basis, however remote, is sil recognizable as secularized ritual even in the most profane forms of the cult ‘of beauty, The secular cut of beauty, developed during the Renaissance and prevaling for three centuries, clatly showed that ritualistic basis in its decline and the fist deep crisis which befell. With the advent of the fist truly revolutionary means of reproduction, photography, simaltancously with the rise of socialism, at sensi the approaching criss which has become evident a century later. At the time, at reacted with the doctrine of art pour lat, thai, witha theology of art. Ths gave ise to what might be called a negative theology inthe form of the idea of ‘pure’ ar, which rot only denied any social function of art but also any categorizing by subject "An dhalyss of art in the age of mechanical reproduction must do justice to these relationships, fr the Tead us to an all-important insight for the first time in world history, mechanical reproduction emancipates the work of art from its para