In the essay “The work of art in the age of its technological reproducibility”, Walter Benjamin examines the multiple concepts of traditional art and applies them to new technological inventions such as the camera and film. In the introduction to his essay, Benjamin clearly states that politics is a priority concern, particularly fascism and how “the concepts that are introduced into the theory of art differ from current ones in that they are completely useless for the purposes of fascism. On the other hand, they are useful for formulating revolutionary demands in the politics of art” (252). This quote clearly demonstrates the aim of Benjamin's essay, which is to relate old and new concepts of traditional art to politics and argues that this will provoke revolutionary demands in the politics of art. Therefore, when Benjamin focuses on aura, reproducibility, exhibitability, and distraction, this does not weaken or undermine what the introduction states because these concepts are used to explain politics. Benjamin links the traditional aesthetic values of art to fascist ideologies, which provoke revolutionary demands in the politics of art. However, there are points within the essay that undermine his political objective, which is seen through lofty metaphors, his personal agenda, and his mastery of language. According to Benjamin, the concept of aura is the environment of severe beauty and power that sustains cultic societies. . Therefore, traditional art, especially paintings, create an illusion of reality which is important because it mirrors our gaze because it has the concept of aura and follows the same timeline as the viewer. Because it looks back at us, that's why we mistake it for reality and believe... middle of paper... it 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 takes on a political, fascist meaning and the film manipulates the mass which depends on those ideas of unique leader and originality. Furthermore, by emphasizing a political leader, the fascist film retains some of its cult value over exposition. Since the film is not about entertainment, there can be no room for distraction. Furthermore, time within these films about fascism never ends and elevates the production that depends on these traditional concepts of art. Traditional concepts of art are experienced through contemplation across distance, but this has shifted towards distraction through entertainment as a loss of space and time to think.
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