kamon-115

[kamon-115]

Shooting The Truth: Can Art be Mechanically Reproduced?

By: Jayden Henderson, Hazel Angela Abiog, Ralph Danrique Aquino

Solace Road- Photo by Jayden Henderson

The quiet still of a teen beside a parked car on a country road carries a strong sense of place—its "aura," in Benjamin's terms. You can almost feel the late‑afternoon sun, hear the gravel underfoot, smell the dry grass in the breeze. That aura is captured in its original print in this single moment. Yet once digitized and shared online—cropped, filtered, re‑posted on Instagram or TikTok—it becomes one image among millions. Its unique presence is diluted, but its personal story spreads to a broader audience. Here, Benjamin's paradox is apparent: mechanical (now digital) reproduction diminishes aura, but simultaneously bestows new social life on the photograph, inviting strangers everywhere to participate in that teen's quiet pause.

Lone Plaza- Photo by Jayden Henderson

An empty plaza, its benches and fountain surrounded by bare branches, feels like a relic of public life paused in time. In its original print, framed carefully, this stillness is tethered to that spot and those specific trees. However, once published in a book or blog, it becomes a hinge between private contemplation and mass experience. Benjamin would celebrate this shift: as art's reproducibility expands, the work slips out of exclusive gallery spaces into communal memory. Any passer‑by online can "visit" the plaza, forging new social bonds through shared images of absence and anticipation.

In Transit- Photo by Jayden Henderson

The photograph vividly captures the stillness of time, showing commuters, the train interior, and platform signs through a glass pane. It powerfully demonstrates how light can fracture and reassemble reality. The past and present, inside and outside, seamlessly blur into a striking montage. Benjamin would undoubtedly recognize this image as proof that reproduction does more than copy; it transforms our understanding of reality. By integrating multiple frames, exposures and spatial perspectives into a single frame, the image compels us to rethink perception itself. While its aura may be fragmented, it reveals a new social goal: capturing the intricate complexity of our urban experience.

The Cities Flow- Photo by Jayden Henderson (Entry by Hazel Angela Abiog)

This photograph connects to Walter Benjamin's article by illustrating how art and photography have become modern. Benjamin argued that mechanical reproduction removes the "aura," making them more accessible but less unique. City life, tall buildings, and walking people are not rare but repeatable. But that's the point: turning everyday life into something worth capturing and sharing with the world.

Grace in Silence- Photo by Hazel Angela Abiog

This picture reflects Robinson's style through several key elements. First, the use of Pictorial Quality is evident in the use of black and white, to show the aesthetic of early photographic images. Second is the Mood and Expression. The figure, downward gaze, and flowy dress suggest a quiet, thoughtful, or even a sad feeling that is similar to the images that Robinson often showed in his work. Third, Stage Composition stands out with the curved staircase, and the person placement creates a dramatic visual, like Robinson's carefully arranged images. Overall, this image shares the intentionality and emotional tonality of Robinson's photography.

Out of the Dark- Photo by Ralph Danrique Aquino

Robinson's craft of photography aimed to create a work of art, a painting, that highlights the storytelling and emotions, detailing reality. In this image, it creates a dramatic scene composing: a single figure surrounded by natural, emphasizing the dry and melancholic environment. The dark, moody atmosphere creates a sense of symbolism, much like Robinson's romantic and depressing themes. Moreover, the railroad tracks suggest a personal and emotional journey, conveying loss and grief in relation to Robinson's "Fading Away".

Module 3 Questions:

1. When something is reproduced countless times, is it still "art"? What is the importance of mechanical reproducibility, and how has it impacted society?

Reproducing an artwork over and over transforms it but doesn't render it meaningless. According to Walter Benjamin, every original piece possesses an "aura," born of its unique time, place, and history. Mechanical reproduction inevitably diminishes that aura, yet it also increases access. No longer confined to museum walls or private collections, art spreads into classrooms, living rooms, and public squares. This mass circulation shifts art from an elite privilege into a shared cultural resource, enriching public discourse and allowing diverse communities to engage with works they'd never encountered.

2. What is the central message of Walter Benjamin's essay "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction"?

Benjamin's core Message is that mechanical reproduction disrupts the bond between an artwork and its "aura". By stripping away the "here and now" of the original, reproduction dissolves its aura, but in doing so, it empowers art to serve new social functions. Benjamin invites us to see reproduction not simply as loss, but also as transformation.

3. Is photography an art form in its own right, or merely a tool for traditional artists?

Photography began as a technical process for capturing reality but has long since become a standalone art form. When photographers bring a distinct vision—through composition, lighting, framing, etc.- to their work, they move beyond mere documentation. A photograph can tell stories, convey moods, and provoke reflection as powerfully as a painting or sculpture.

4. How and why did Henry Peach Robinson create Fading Away?

Robinson pioneered combination printing to stage the emotionally charged scene, Fading Away. By merging several negatives—each depicting different figures and settings—he choreographed a Victorian tableau of a young woman's last moments surrounded by mourning family. His goal was not scientific accuracy but dramatic storytelling: to show that photography could evoke pathos and narrative depth, rivalling the grand history paintings of the era.

5. If mechanical reproduction revolutionized art in the 20th century, what does today's digitalization mean for its future?

We've entered a new era where anyone with a smartphone can create, edit, and instantly share images on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Digital tools dissolve barriers even further, raising new questions of authenticity. Who is the artist when an AI generates an image from a prompt or combines existing works? As we embrace these innovations, it's worth asking: What are we gaining in creative possibility, and what might we be losing in human touch and historical context?

References

•Benjamin, W. (1936). The work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction. Marxists Internet Archive. Retrieved May 16, 2025, from https://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/benjamin.htm

•The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Henry Peach Robinson. In Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved May 16, 2025, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-Peach-Robinson

•OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (o4‑mini) [Large language model]. https://openai.com/chatgpt