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| The Cowper & Applegath printing press. |
This week's readings allowed me to reflect on many everyday luxuries people of today often take for granted. The industrialization of mechanics has allowed for works of art to be accessible in ways that were previously thought to be impossible. With that came the increased accessibility to culture. As mentioned in the lecture, the advancement of the printing press allowed for the transition of spoken word to books of worship. Soon, nearly all people could have access to materials that could help them advance both spiritually, and intellectually. Today, a great number of works of art can be accessed digitally. Plays have transitioned mostly to films, and many paintings and pieces of literature can be viewed digitally, creating a society of which nearly everyone can view artwork at their leisure, all thanks to previous industrialization.
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| Andy Warhol MARILYN MONROE |
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While reading Walter Benjamin's piece, I instantly thought of Andy Warhol's works. Benjamin's idea that "Mechanical reproduction of art changes the reaction of the masses toward art", was greatly challenged by Warhol and his works. Warhol, who believed "'art should [not] be only for the select few, but for the mass of American people'", mass produced many copies of the same piece using a silk screen, which both dehumanized and replicated his pieces with ease (Mathilde). In the 1960's when most of these pieces were produced, many critics were outraged by this production of art, and many even failed to consider it as such. However, as society has come to accept this artwork to the highest regards. In a world where everything in one's home was produced by an assembly line and original items are few and far between, people have come to accept this industrialization of art, and even value it as has increased the ability for everyone to enjoy the luxuries that art brings.
Works Cited
Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. London: Penguin, 2008. Print.
Davis, Douglas. “The Work of Art in the Age of Digital Reproduction.” The MIT Press, 1995. Web. 19 Oct. 2012. <http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/1576221?uid=3739560&uid=2&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21101286048881>.
“From Gutenberg’s Movable Type to the Digital Book, and Other Studies in the History of Media.” Relating the Rapidly Changing Present to the Distant Past as Far as Book History Is Concerned, www.historyofinformation.com/narrative/index.php.
Mathlide. “An Analysis of Andy Warhol and His Work.” World of Art, 5 May 2014, worldartworld.wordpress.com/2014/05/05/interlude-in-pop-art-an-analysis-of-andy-warhol-and-his-work/.
Vesna,Victoria. “Lecutre Part 2.” Math + Art. 12 Oct. 2012. Lecture.
Hi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you showed the positives about the industrialization of art rather than just focus on the negatives. Its unbelievable to think that societies only a few hundred years in the past only had so many pieces of artwork to go around and most people never got to see a painting in their lives. Its crazy to think about just how far society has come. Despite all the negativity that people believe the reproduction of art has brought along, I agree with you in that the mass production of artwork has actually allowed everyone to enjoy it more and increase its popularity.
I appreciate Warhol's desire for accessibility to all. I think that his opinions on mass production further explain his influence on pop culture and his lasting impact on the art world. He wanted everyone to have the opportunity to view and own his art, and so he is remembered fondly.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed how you analyzed the public's response to Warhol's new strategy of distributing his art. I agree that in some way it decreases the value to mass produce art, but at the same time it's great that more people are able to purchase copies of art and enjoy them.
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