"Communism responds to politicizing art."
The idea of "mechanical reproduction" is delineated throughout Benjamin's essay. He believes the mechanical reproduction of art produces something completely new. Some examples of mechanical reproduction are engraving, etching and lithography. Lithography happened to be extremely important for its time, giving artists a chance to develop and reproduce works of art everyday as opposed to the lengthy chore of etching. However, using digital reproduction makes digitally recreating or altering art work from the past a simpler and much faster possibility. Digital reproduction can be compared to mechanical reproduction because it is an advanced technique of mechanically reproducing. As mentioned previously, techniques of mechanical reproduction were engraving and lithography, procedures that have become much more advanced with the use of technology. Digital reproduction opens opportunities for re-creating art in a quick and accurate manner.
The "aura" of art is its uniqueness. When artwork is recreated, whether it be digital or mechanical, the aura is taken away or destroyed. The reproduction of artwork leaves behind nothing but its original aura, the experience of one's reaction to the art. A singular work of art preserved for centuries and never reproduced will in turn never lose its aura. As soon as it is reproduced, especially now, millions of copies can be made; destroying the singularity. The process of mechanically or digitally reproducing art shatters the tradition that is blatant during the production of the piece. In the form of film, the presence of the actor on stage cannot be replicated because his interpretation of that character. There is no way to separate the "aura" for the audience from the actor's.
Benjamin compares the unusual relationship between a magician and a surgeon to support his comparison of painters and cameramen - both of which are polar opposites. He describes the healing powers of a magician's versus a surgeon. A magician heals by just a touch, whereas the surgeon cuts into the patient's body. The magician keeps his distance, other than the light penetration of distance by touching the patient.The surgeon, however, keeps no distance as he cuts into and enters the patient's body. He proceeds with caution as he moves his hands over the organs of his patient. The surgeon refrains from facing his patient; rather, he does it through the operation.
As for the painter, he represents Benjamin's interpretation of a magician - keeping a natural distance from reality. The cameraman serves as Benjamin's interpretation of a surgeon. He penetrates into the realm of reality. As the painter creates a complete picture, the cameraman assembles multiple fragments into one, digging deeper into his creativity. Some have argued the representation of a reality in a painting is less significant than a film's. The film is free of all equipment, the aspect of a reality in film is more straightforward, whereas in a painting one must ask for its significance. Film gets a progressive reaction from the audience because it was made specifically for the audience. A progressive reaction is the mix of emotional and visual enjoyment. Film is made to be more readily analyzed by an audience because it makes a complete statement. Paintings are reactionary rather than progressive. They were not meant to be on display, paintings are the result of an artist's release of emotion. Usually, it is for his eyes only. Until recently, paintings were not meant to be advertised and are subject to more critical opinions. Which is basically a reactionary response. In that time, surrealist paintings were very popular, but the majority of the population had conservative views and harshly judged the art. Because they were not made to be pondered, paintings do not get progressive reactions. The "digital artist" may be somewhere in the middle of a painter and film, although he is more closely relatable to a painter. Most digital art is still like a painting; however, digital art covers more varied concepts. The digital artist could create a moving picture, but that would remain the same. Digital art is no different than a painting in terms of its significance. The depth one creates on a digital image is no greater or lesser than that of an intricate painting, which is most likely how Benjamin would perceive it.
In Benjamin's epilogue, he discusses the intersection of war, art and politics. When read the first time, I was taken aback by his inclusion of Marinetti's quote. His repeated phrase "war is beautiful" definitely caught my attention very quickly. Although his words were gruesome, art is being used as a distraction to war and politics. Art is the distraction for politicians barbarity. Two quotes of Benjamin's in his epilogue that I found captivating are "communism responds to politicizing art" and "the logical result of fascism is the introduction of aesthetics into political life". By introducing art into political life, fascists were hoping to brainwash the population. When Benjamin references Marinetti, he is giving an example of the fascists abusing the power of art. Instead of diminishing politics, Benjamin's views of communism towards art were meant to enlighten. I believe his assessment is still valid today. There will always be authority figures abusing peace for power. Even simple things like political cartoons and commercials are used against the other candidates as well as the audience. People today are constantly being brainwashed by those in power to get them to believe what they say. By introducing it through art, many people cannot turn the other way.
