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Essay / The work of art in the era of its technological reproducibility...
In Walter Benjamin's essay on "The work of art in the era of its technological reproducibility", he examines the multiple concepts of traditional art and applies them to more recent concepts. technological inventions such as the camera and film. In the introduction to his essay, Benjamin clearly states that politics is a primary concern, particularly fascism, and that "the concepts introduced into art theory differ from those currently current in that they are entirely unnecessary for the purposes of fascism. On the other hand, they are useful for the formulation of revolutionary demands in the politics of art” (252). This quote clearly demonstrates the aim of Benjamin's essay, which is to connect old and new concepts of traditional art to politics, and he argues that this will provoke revolutionary demands in the politics of art. Therefore, when Benjamin focuses on aura, reproducibility, exhibitionism, and distraction, this does not weaken or challenge what the introduction claims, because these concepts are used to explain politics. Benjamin connects traditional aesthetic values of art to fascist ideologies, which provoke revolutionary demands in the politics of art. However, there are points in the essay that undermine its political purpose, which is seen through lofty metaphors, its own agenda, and its mastery of language. According to Benjamin, the concept of aura is the ambience of severed beauty and power that sustains sectarian societies. . Therefore, traditional art, especially paintings, creates an illusion of reality which is momentous as it reflects our gaze as it has the concept of aura and follows the same timeline of the viewer. Since it returns our gaze, that is why we confuse it with reality and believe...... middle of paper ... always comes back to the same person like a painting. This is an attempt to create an aura by making a film that shows a man who contains creative genius, originality and uniqueness. Therefore, the mass acquires a political and fascist meaning and the film manipulates the mass which depends on these ideas of unique leader and originality. Additionally, by focusing on a political leader, the fascist film retains some of its cult value in relation to exposition. Since the film is not built on entertainment, there can be no room for distraction. Furthermore, time in these fascist films never stops and elevates the production that depends on these traditional concepts of art. Traditional concepts of art are experienced through distant contemplation, but this has turned into distraction through entertainment as a waste of space and time to think..