Week 3 blog post

Walter Bengamin losing authenticity
” Updating Benjamin, www.uturn.org/Briz/.

This week’s readings, discussed about the connection between art, technology and their interconnections with robotics. The two articles “The Work of Art in the Age of Digital Reproductions (An Evolving Thesis: 1991-1995) by Douglas Davis and “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” by Walter Benjamin had the same ideology about robots and art. Technology has been shaping the universe, every new invention or idea takes us one step forward to becoming a more modernized society. But there are always two sides a story. According to Walter Benjamin, “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.”  Although many people would think its great being able to replicate a piece of art identically, Benjamins argues it losses its most important value, authenticity. 

inkin, Laura and W.D. Richter

Another way we see this desperation of authenticity is with our new form of art digital reproduction, films. Douglas argues “The work of art in the age of digital reproduction is physically and formally chameleon.” I found this interesting because not only have robots affected art in the physical aspect, but it has also affected art in the movie making aspect. We are becoming more immune and not creeped out by having robots in movies. (pt1) One movie that connects to this topic about art and technology is Stealth with Josh Lucas, Jamie Foxx, and Jessica Biel. They are the top pilots in the U.S. Airforce and the movie, starts with adding a fourth wingman to their squadron. Little did they know that it was a robot. Leading the new way of combat for the military. During the movie the robot gets struck by lightning and makes him go crazy. He doesn’t follow orders and starts finding nonexistent targets from the internet. The thing that I find most interesting in this film is they gave the robot a specific human characteristic that no other robot has. The characteristic of memory which he could not delete from his hard drive due to the lightning strike. The more technological findings we have the more society beings to become one with machine and with robots. (pt2) I fine Walter argument to be true that even us humans, as we become one with technology are losing our own sense of authenticity. 

Becoming one with technology
www.thriveglobal.com/stories/28677-remote-work-enhancing-the-human-tech-element-for-success

References

Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. Prism Key Press, 2010.

Briz, Nick. “1936 / 2011.” Updating Benjamin, www.uturn.org/Briz/.

Davis, Douglas. “The Work of Art in the Age of Digital Reproduction (An Evolving Thesis: 1991-1995).” Leonardo, vol. 28, no. 5, 1995, p. 381., doi:10.2307/1576221.

Hajdini, Vjosa. “Remote Work: Enhancing the Human-Tech Element for Success.” Thrive Global, Thrive Global, 16 Apr. 2018, www.thriveglobal.com/stories/28677-remote-work-enhancing-the-human-tech-element-for-success.

Uconlineprogram. Robotics pt1. YouTube. April 15, 2012. Length 14:31. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRw9_v6w0ew

Uconlineprogram. Robotics pt2. YouTube. April 15, 2012. Length 4:20. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAZ8bo9T_Pk

Ziskin, Laura, and W. D. Richter. Stealth.

Ziskin, Laura, and W. D. Richter. Stealth. Movie Cover Photograph.