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Mechanical Reproduction Essay Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction by Walter Benjamin can be summed up into two important subjects—reproducibility and the concept of the aura. One of the main ideas of Benjamin Walter’s work is technological advancement in the field of the arts which has changed art itself. Mass reproduction of works of art has made even the replicas works of art by themselves. Consequently, the original has lost its authenticity. The concept of the aura is the next major idea that Benjamin Walter discusses—the aura is the very essence of a work of art, which is lost because of mass reproduction, particularly art that uses film as a medium. As the times change, so to do the perceptions of humans—and thus, contributing to the demise of the aura in art. Art and tradition go hand in hand, but with the advent of modern mediums today, art as business (mass production) has become the main concern. Art has two functions, either as â€Å"cult† magical in function, hidden from view, or as a public spectacle. The difference between film and portraits is that film does not have that aura. The succeeding sections mostly talk about film. One section delves into some theories on film, while another section talks about the actor, citing differences between acting in front of a live audience and acting in front of the camera and how the camera destroys the aura of the acting. Section nine is about how anyone can, or rather, play as works of art because of film. The camera hides real talent and shows only that which the filmmakers want to project. The rest of the discussion is still about film and the differences this new technology has made into our modern perception of art. Work Cited Benjamin, Walter. â€Å"The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. † Core Concepts for Communication and Web Development. English Department, Bentley College. 02 March 2009 http://web. bentley. edu/empl/c/rcrooks/toolbox/common_knowledge/general_communication/benjamin. html.