Chapter 5: The artwork in the age of mechanical reproduction

In 1935, Walter Benjamin wrote a small essay about the effects of the mechanical reproducability of the artwork. In it, he argues that this process not only changed the way we look at art, but that it completely changes the idea of what an artwork actually is.

In this penultimate seminar, we are going to look at this essay, which still is one of the most important works in contemporary aesthetics.

First, we would like to to read a small essay about Benjamin's work. After that, there's small presentation that puts it in the context of this whole module. Finally you are invited to work on the exercises.