Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction
used with permission!
Reproduction has always been a primary aspect in the relationship between technology and images.
In his seminal essay, Walter Benjamin argued that with technological process, new capacities of image reproduction and the development of the mass media, the meaning and value of an image and its role in society changed dramatically.
If only he was alive today to see how far mechanical reproduction has come. Youtube, Deviant Art, Tate Modern’s “Tate Shorts” series… these are all examples a profound shift in [visual] culture.
Enter copyright issues and violations… the reproduction and dissemination of art online is fraught with these.
One resource that is trying to provide guidance on the legal issues of art and the web is the Australia Arts Law Centre, www.artslaw.com.au . This organisation provides exhaustive literature, research and advice for those who are publishing, reproducing (images/music etc) online.
Digital reproduction has unarguably made art more accessible to people; it can help to demystify art and make it seem more approachable. We can now be voyeurs from the comfort of our own homes… a situation that has serious implications on questions of authenticity and ownership.
