Artworks in the Age of Technological Reproduction

Author: (German) Walter Benjamin / Hu Buxi / Yin Jie (Text and Picture Editing)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Walter Benjamin, a marginal figure of the Frankfurt School, has been in a somewhat peculiar position for over half a century: heavily interpreted, frequently cited, yet still enigmatic, with its meaning elusive. His explorations of art forms such as photography, film, and theater are no exception. This very situation is a powerful testament to the charm of his thought. A Short History of Photography discusses photography with an intent on history and society, while The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction appears optimistic yet remains cold and stern, still. Perhaps, Benjamin should be regarded as a radical critical thinker rather than a so-called "last humanist."