Authenticity

Walter Benjamin 'The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction' (1936)


What is the relationship between photography and tradition?
What is aura?
What's the relation of the mechanical reproduction of artwork to politics?
What do you think Walter Benjamin means by politics?


WB makes very strong claims...have his claims been proven correct?...if not, why?


Ritual cult value vs exhibition value


Authentic vs mechanical reproductions --- > destroys tradition?
           <---------------/
               destroys


without one the other cannot/does not exist- each requires the other to be defined.


the reproductions from if there is no original. Without the duplicates the authentic 'original' in simply an object with nothing from which to differentiate itself- the reproductions highlight the originals originality and authenticity.