From here, the fact presented by Benjamin of influence of capitalism on art is being reasserted (Sturken, Douglas and Cartwright, 75).
2. Lawrence Levine's "William Shakespeare and the American People"
Art is not reflected in the form of painting or films, but writers and literary authors also reflect art. Lawerence Levine has highlighted that the true nature of art that was represented by Shakespeare in his plays continued to dilute since the late nineteenth century. The main roles in this case are played by the changes in the American theatre based on social changes (Mukerji and Schudson 160).
Mass production is the second fact highlighted by both the authors. In the past, the art was unique and the amount of art being produced was much lesser as compared to what is seen in the modern days. Sturken and Lisa Cartwright have highlighted the main sources of dissemination of creative ideas as mass media that include television. Mass production is one of the main reasons of loss of originality and authenticity in art. Folk culture stood dominant in Shakespeare's time which was challenged by the mass production of theatres in the late 19th and 20th century (Mukerji and Schudson 162). With an increase in competition, an increase in the scale of production plays roles in loss of authenticity in art. Thereby, the fact that mass production plays a role in the loss of the aura of the art is agreeable.
The third important fact as highlighted by both the authors is the effect of capitalism on the work of art. Capitalism dictates values and beliefs within the society. Levine and Sturken and Lisa Cartwright mention the effect of differences in the folk as well as popular culture. Also, great changes in the social perspectives were...
The
earth was considered the center of the universe, whereas in that time, the studies had shown that the sun was the center of the universe. These new ideas challenged the typical views of god-centered universe. These were the changes in perspectives that also gained greater dominance in the artwork created in the 15th century. With this, great changes were seen in the social beliefs, which were reflected in the artwork of the day. With the changes in the social beliefs, changes are seen in the beliefs of the artists. These are the beliefs that guide creativity in the society. In the modern days, the political and
social environment is the main element that defines creativity of the modern age. On the other hand, these mass media are changing the beliefs of an individual. These individuals not only include the common person but also the artists as well as the filmmakers. These are the beliefs of the modern days that are integrated into the modern art forms these days. Thus, it would not be wrong to say that changes and
evolution in the modern day art are more based on the changes in the beliefs of the individuals in the society.
Conclusion
Essay written by the Walter Benjamin, "Art in the Age of Mechanical
Reproduction" is an important essay and it has highlighted the changes that are now being seen in the various forms of art. These changes include loss or aura and originality in the work of art. Marita Sturken and Lisa Cartwright who have mentioned the facts in their essay "Reproduction and Visual Technologies" have supported the same facts.
Works Cited
Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. Penguin Books Limited, 2008.
Rampley, Matthew. Exploring
Visual Culture:
Definition, Concepts, Contexts. Edinburgh University Press, 2005.
Sturken, Marita., Douglas, Susan., and Cartwright, Lisa. Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture. Oxford University Press, 2012.
