kiji The Aura’s Waning and the Political Turn: Rereading Walter Benjamin’s “Work of Art” Essay
Walter Benjamin's "Work of Art" essay is a crucial media diagnosis. This article analyzes its 4 core concepts: 1) How technical reproduction causes the "aura" to wither, shifting art from sacred to secular; 2) Art's function shifts from "ritual value" to "exhibition value"; 3) The conflict between the "aestheticization of politics" (Fascism) and the "politicization of art"; 4) How film trains a new perception through "shock" and "distraction." It also discusses its value as a critical tool and its role as a "triangular fulcrum" with Sontag and Barthes.