How about facing the era when the aura fades?

"Toward the Age of Fading Aura---Benjamin on Art" Walter Benjamin, translator: Xu Qiling, Lin Zhiming Publisher: Guangxi Normal University Press Benjamin was born in The prominent Jewish family were the most important literary critics in Germany in the first half of the 20th century. They were rooted in the Jewish Kabbalah theological tradition and established the so-called "dialectics of imagery." This book is composed of four short articles, two of which were translated by two translators each. In "A Brief History of Photography", the author compares the early copper plate photos with the photos after the film retouching method became popular, highlighting the "aura" in the early copper plate photos. The author defines "aura" as: the strange entanglement of time and space, the distant The only appearance of an object, although far away, seems to be close at hand. (32) In the author's eyes, early people had a spiritual light surrounding them, like a spiritual medium, sneaking into their eyes, giving them a sense of fulfillment and stability. (22) This is related to the fact that early copper plate photos required a longer exposure time, "standing still for a long time to condense a comprehensive expression... The person being photographed did not live outside the moment of the photo, but lived into it." . . . Like sketches or painted portraits, these old photos have a deeper and more lasting impact than the snapshots of the past." (19) "The Art of Art" is the core part of the whole book. The author positions the works of art in the era of mechanical reproduction as works with "disappearance of aura". What achieves aura is the ritual function of the artwork itself, and its main quality is its "inaccessibility". "Presence" is more important than whether it is seen or not. (66) The reason for the "disappearance of aura" lies in the word "copy". Copying allows a large number of phenomena to replace the one-time phenomenon of each thing. At the same time, the copy can become an audition object under any circumstances. , this realistic creation has had a huge impact on its authenticity, that is, on tradition. (62) Art in the era of mechanical reproduction is secular. "More and more artworks are created just for the purpose of being copied." At this time, the function of art has also undergone earth-shaking changes. Previously, it was based on ritual. Rites, nowadays, focus on politics. In addition to analyzing the internal causes of artistic changes and changes in artistic functions, the author also takes film art as an example to describe the various representations of art in the era of copying. In Benjamin's view, "copying is an inherent attribute of film production" (104) , movies help us expand our attention to worldly things in both visual and auditory aspects, and are easier to analyze than paintings and dramas. This form of artistic expression contributes to the integration of art and science, and can be regarded as the movie itself The advantage lies in. (86-87) Film conforms to Andre Breton’s definition of “valuable art”. In my opinion, it even conforms to the most complete artistic expression of the three values. However, due to its own inherent attributes, the movie still brings many confusions and paradoxes. For actors, on the one hand, the movie suppresses their "aura", and on the other hand, it falsely shapes the actor's "aura" outside the studio. Personality image”. This is the reason for the emergence of star worship rituals. (77) For the audience, the contradiction is more obvious. On the one hand, the movie is in line with the increasingly uneasy life that people face today, and reflects the deep changes in the perception machine. (114) On the other hand, because of its mode of expression, it makes the general audience more confused. As Benjamin said: Paintings invite people to watch and meditate, but movies never have time to watch intently. (91-94) The tone of the author's description of art in the age of mechanical reproduction is pessimistic. His Jewish origin and the historical background in which he lived made him more negative. This negative attitude was reflected in his dissatisfaction with the current situation and his distrust of the future. In Benjamin's view, "In Homer's time, people performed performances to the gods of the Olympians, but today people perform for themselves, and they have become alienated and strange, so strange that they can experience their own destruction, intending to use their own destruction as a First-class aesthetic enjoyment. This is the aestheticization of fascist political operations. The return of communism is the politicization of art. "He believes that only studying the history of architecture can debug the public's need to a certain extent." Art requires concentration. "This is a contradiction. This is a bold guess about solutions in addition to pessimism, because buildings can not only be "viewed", but also "lived". In addition to looking at buildings, you can also touch them. In addition to looking at them carefully, you can also inadvertently repeat them. Browsing, and all this is a matter of habit. Benjamin proposed a solution from the perspective of the viewer. Architecture is one of the arts that is relatively expensive to copy. Its own characteristics are not universally popular, but in terms of the way of viewing, it seems to provide In my opinion, art in the era of copying not only copies images, but also copies concepts. The attitude toward copied works is not to take a quick glance, but requires the ability to distinguish priorities and clarify logic. "Painting and Photography---Second Paris Letters" continues to explore the author's understanding of painting, art criticism and photography in the era of mechanical reproduction. In the author's view, they all serve business, and paintings cater to the taste of the market. , and the beneficiary behind art criticism is actually business, not the public, and photography accelerates the process of transforming artworks into commodities.

Next, the author expressed his understanding of the fusion of painting and photography. He took Courbet as an example and emphasized that his paintings had the charm of images. After that, the Impressionist painters occupied the top position in the competition with photography, "until the century At the turn of the century, photography has always wanted to imitate the Impressionist painters.” (128) However, the author does not think that the fusion will be reflected in the work. The author believes that this fusion is “realized in some masters.” (133) The last article. "Chinese Painting Exhibition at the National Library of France" provides a wonderful commentary on the artistry of Chinese calligraphy. In Benjamin's view, calligraphy itself reflects the comprehensive cosmology of Chinese philosophers. Its abstract lines themselves assimilate all organic forms and biological activities in nature. The combination of these lines and square characters creates an unstable balance. The calligraphy's The brushwork has its own fixed formula, but the similarities it contains can give it dynamics, forming a whole that calls to mind. Benjamin thought it was like "a veil attracting the wind", (156) I think this metaphor is appropriate, and as an art critic, the author's skill is evident. Generally speaking, the first three articles are all about Western-led art in the era of mechanical reproduction. The author sternly reveals the truth of the matter while showing deep sympathy. At the same time, he also does not forget to analyze the coping methods. The last article, "Exhibition of Chinese Paintings at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France", was translated with domestic readers in mind. However, it is worth noting that Chinese painting, as a type of painting, has not been "replicated" in the era of mechanical reproduction compared to other types of painting. "Technology" affinity is related to Western-led values, which directly affects consumer demand. The author sees the hidden vitality of Eastern art, and we feel a sense of pride from it.