Walter Benjamin: aura, technique and art in modernity

Abstract

In the context of the increasing technification of various areas of daily life, it is essential to revisit authors who have reflected on technological changes and their impact on human activity. From this theoretical perspective, I propose to recover some reflections of Walter Benjamin in The Work of Art in the Age of its Technical Reproducibility (Urtext) (2003 [1936]) to explore the impact of certain technologies on twentieth-century art. The main objective of this re-reading is to analyze the effects of technique in its relationship with art and politics, as well as its influence on the social body of that time. This analysis seeks not only to unravel the multiple meanings embedded in Benjamin’s text but also to establish a foundation for understanding the theoretical-critical frameworks that enriched his approach and enabled new perspectives in aesthetic theory. Ultimately, this study aims to provide tools for addressing contemporary issues where technology acts as a transformative force in culture and art.