Fake Art

 We discussed how a reproduction of an art piece has less meaning than the original art piece and I completely agree with that. Benjamin furthers this when he states, “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.” The original art piece has been altered from reproduction and does not have the same meaning because the context has also been altered. It is not THE artwork; it is simply the fake copy of it. It loses the idea that the painter touched it and the history and experiences it endured. It loses the journey the painted had and its conditions. In other words, it loses the “aura” due to reproduction. Just because you have a copy does not mean anything because everyone else has access to a copy just as easily. I think reproduction puts more value on the original because there is only one of the original and a million fakes. The reproduction makes you think that you are so close to the painting when really it makes you farther from it because the aura has been destroyed.