Category Archives: Student Blogs

Aura

2010spring_vancouver1[1]
@JacobCWalton
This picture of Vancouver lake demonstrates aura. This picture is taken from a slanted view, demonstrating the round shape of the lake. In the middle of the lake, one can see the round island. When shot from above, it appears to be a portrait of a massive eye, giving off a mystical feeling. Staring at the picture is like being in a fantasy world. It represents the ways in which satellite photography can be used to take two-dimensional things we normally perceive as being flat, and give them new life by revealing them in another light.

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brazil

@samai14

I found this image in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is very unique and it has a beautiful view of the sunset/sunrise. With this image I can really imagine myself in this image. I can hear the traffic, the people talking, and the honks. I picture myself squint my eyes because the sun is bright and shinning. The sunrise in particular makes the image come to life, which is what Walter Benjamin was basically trying to say on the article. “Since the eye perceives more swiftly than the hand can draw, the process of pictorial reproduction was accelerated so enormously that it could keep pace with speech”.  (section 1, paragraph 2).

The sunset in this image is an example of what Walter talks about “If, while resting on a summer afternoon, you follow with your eyes a mountain range on the horizon or a branch which casts its shadow over you, you experience the aura of those mountains, of that branch.” (section 3, paragraph 2) Walter wants you to experience the image as if you were in that place in that moment, he wants you to enjoy and explore the details. Like I said before he wants you to bring the picture to life.

vista_house@KyleChinn1

The photo I decided to use for this post was the Vista House on crown point in the Columbia River Gorge. It’s a very pretty place because it looks into the heart of the gorge to the east, and down to the valley to the west. The Vista House is an observatory at Crown Point in Oregon that also serves as a memorial to Oregon pioneers and as a comfort station for travelers on the Historic Columbia River Highway. This beautiful building built in 1918 is visited by many tourists and is immortalized in thousands of photographs. According to Walter Benjamin “This unique existence of the work of art determined the history to which it was subject throughout the time of its existence. This includes the changes which it may have suffered in physical condition over the years as well as the various changes in its ownership (pg. 3 para. 1). This applies to the Vista House because this building battles winds and storms which made required a big structural renovation of the building, but it stands as a art piece for the entrance of the Columbia River Gorge, and it will probably stand 100 more years. I picked this photo because not only is Vista House a pretty sight to view, but the scenery surrounding it is even more beautiful then the manmade building. It makes me wonder if the people in the photo are more amazed by 100 year old building, or the view of the Columbia River Gorge?

Blog 3: Walter Benjamin

Kalakaua Ave.

 

@kylemcgee77

While exploring google maps, I decided to show an image on Kukulaua Ave. in Honolulu, Hawaii. I chose this image because I have been to this exact spot and thought it was interesting seeing the street view on a computer. Here in this image, we see what seems to be a typical day in paradise. Although there is a lot of beauty to this image, one cannot fully expirience the “aura” of this place by just viewing an image of it from the internet. The “aura” that is talked about in Walter Benjamin’s article, “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” (6) is essentially the mood that is created by a piece. In this image, we see a beautiful blue sky, dozens of palm trees, and Waikiki beach. By only viewing the image, one misses out on the real sights, sounds, and smells of beautiful Hawaii. The aura that is created is warm and relaxing. By going to this place, I have experienced the warmth of the sun, the gentle breeze from the ocean, the feeling of the sand as you walk on the beach. All of these aspects are truly what affect the overall aura of this place. Benjamin says that the aura of an artistic piece cannot be found in a captured image. The images are what make the viewer feel distant. This is something I agree with. Although the image appears to be beautiful, The feeling of being in that actual place in much different.

#dtcv

Google Earth and Benjamin

GoogleEarth_Image

@RachaelS_dtc

Before  mechanical reproduction, such as photography, a historical object would have reverence because of its worth and uniqueness. Now, we have advanced technology that allows us to reproduce historical objects. In Walter Benjamin’s article, “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,” he says that the aura of art is being destroyed through reproduction. The image above, from Google Earth, shows the street in front of Buckingham Palace in the United Kingdom. Since this picture is a reproduction, Benjamin would say that it lacks one element: “its presence in time and space” (3). Having a unique existence would give this picture authenticity and history. Of course this image has neither of these because it is a replica of the actual object: Buckingham Palace. The aura of Buckingham Palace, or the reverence toward it, decays in this photo because it is not the actual object. Instead, the aura created is fake, or kitsch. Aura decays when the object is reproduced such as through a photo. Benjamin says this is true because “reproduction as offered by picture magazines and newsreels differs from the image seen by the unarmed eye” (4). Benjamin also says that the uniqueness of art is its aura. So, as an object is reproduced, it is no longer unique and the aura decays. Many pictures of Buckingham Palace can be recreated through mechanical reproduction, including the image above. Every photo created is a form of mechanical reproduction and is not authentic. Benjamin explains this with the example of photographic negatives, saying “to ask for the ‘authentic’ print makes no sense” (5). With mechanical reproduction, authenticity and the aura in art deteriorates.

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Screen Shot 2013-01-28 at 9.09.28 PM

@chrisdtc101

The image I found on google maps was of a group of people both walking and riding camels in the Saharan desert in Algeria. In his article The Work Of Art In The Age Of Mechanical Reproduction Walter Benjamin says that, “Even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element: its presence in time and space, its unique existence at the place where it happens to be. This unique existence of the work of art determined the history to which it was subject throughout the time of its existence” (3). Since this image is a copy of the original event, we have no context as to what is happening here: Where are they going? What is their purpose? What are they carrying?

Another element from Walter Benjamin’s writing that correlates to this image is “Aura”. Aura is, “the unique phenomenon of a distance, however close it may be” (4). In this image, we see the people and camels with some masses of rock some distance away, but we can’t really tell how far away they are. In the image they appear fairly close to the people and camels, but cameras can often distort distances, especially since the land is completely flat other between the people and the rocks. It is likely that the rocks are actually very far away, and the people will have to walk for quite awhile before actually reaching them. Unfortunately, we cannot discover how far of a distance it is without traveling to the location of the image itself.

 

Blog Post #3 via Colosseo, Roma

colosseum romaColosseo

@YakustaLeader4

With regards to Walter Benjamin’s “The Work or Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”, the images above both represent perception and aura. For perception, first look at the bottom photo, then look at the top one. In the bottom picture there is not much to perceive by because there is not any distortions or anything weird about it. But, when you look at the top picture, then the perception gets all weird and distorted. The Colosseum in both pictures is very visible and recognizable. However, everthing around it is very distorted in the top picture, where as the bottom picture, nearlly everything is visible.

For the aura of this piece, it works very well for the pictures referencing something historical. In the bottom picture, it has a very calm aura; not many clouds, sunny, probably cool. For the top picture, it is very focused on the Colosseum as the center piece, with its surroundings having a distorted aura. But, like the bottom picture, the top also is on a sunny day, with no clouds at all. Also, there is tradition within these pictures as well. For the Colosseum, it was very popular during the Roman Era, with its chariot races and gladiators.

With all that in mind, the pictures above very well represent Walter Benjamin’s concept of art and some of the meanings behind certain pieces.

Blog Post 3- Interstate near Sutton-Alpine United States

@starlingpreston

Benjamin states, “reproduction as offered by picture magazines and newsreels differs from the images as seen by the unarmed eye,” (4). I agree. This image of mountains offers me a sliver of it grandeur beauty. I cannot completely experience the “aura” that Benjamin remarks about (6). I can relate the clouds behind the mountain to the clouds I’ve seen at Mt. Hood. I can imagine the smell of the crisp air, similar to the air I’ve experienced before. However, I am not actually at this place. If the environment had a new sense it could offer me, I would not be able to experience it. I wouldn’t know if the mountains offered a sulfuric smell that would create nostalgia, or if the rocks are as sharp as they seem. I believe to fully experience the aura that the environment offers; all of my senses must be stimulated.

The reproduction of this image only offers my eyes a piece of its aura. One cannot interact with this environment. Benjamin similarly compares this with a live performance versus a movie, “the audience’s identification with the actor (film) is really an identification with the camera,” (8). Using this photo I’m identifying past experiences with the image the camera allows me to see. If I was actually there, I could feel the different effects that the environment would have, a change in weather perhaps. Resulting, in different emotions I would experience from interacting with the environment. Benjamin states, “For aura is tied to his presence; there can be no replica of it,”(8).

17140 interstate A-1, Sutton-Alpine, United States

Blog 3: Google Map Image and Walter Benjamin

snow

@PerrinKyla

In Walter Benjamin’s article, “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,” he describes that man made artifacts could always be imitated (Pg. 2). This is a Google map image of Kelso Valley Road in Weldon, California. This picture can probably be imitated in many different cities around the world. It’s seen that there is a small road that probably doesn’t get much traffic. There is snow all over the ground and rocks surrounding the small road. Benjamin’s article states that “works of art are received and valued on different planes.” (Pg. 5). The value of this photograph could be seen as nothing but in my personal opinion it is beautiful. Before photography there was lithography which enabled art to illustrate everyday life but I’m not sure that lithography could have produced a photograph like this as well as the technology we have today for photography does. Some could say that the “aura” of this photograph is peaceful and calming, while others could say that this picture’s “aura” is gloomy or cold. This piece could be seen as art due to the scenery aspect of the photo but most of the time the artistic performance is portrayed by the cameraman or photographer. “Man can represent his environment” (pg.11), Walter Benjamin may have been talking about film but this statement can apply to the perspectives seen in this photograph by the observers. It is important that people become more open minded in order to see meanings behind modern art or even to create their own meanings of what the scenery’s aura could be.

Blog Post #3

mexico

@brandonluc01

This photo is of the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary in the central plaza of Mexico City. Surrounding the Cathedral are Mexican locals and some tourists. The building in this photo is a very artistic design containing many intricate stone carvings.

In Walter Benjamin’s article he talks about the recreation of art through mediums such as photographs. But he claims that modern mediums lack some artistic values because anyone can simply take a photo of someone else’s art and say it is authentic or original. Benjamin says that the “sphere of authenticity is outside the technical” meaning the original art piece is independent of the copy.

Benjamin claims that copies of art often lack an element which an original piece can provide. Copies usually lack context. Copies can’t always capture the relevance of a piece of art at a specific period of time. An artist however can make several variations to their piece to incorporate thoughts, themes, or historical symbols to reveal some truth about the reality they are recreating. Another element artistic pieces include but copies usually do not is “Aura” which is the mood or close feeling a piece creates. In the photo of the Cathedral there are many people walking around it. They are in the presence of the artistic building and according to Walter Benjamin can feel the Aura of it. Benjamin claims that Aura can only be found within the presence of an artistic piece and cannot be captured within a copy or photo of a piece. Photos and copies make the viewer feel distant and unable to feel the Aura of the Cathedral.