Week 3: Robots + Art

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In this week’s lecture, the history of industrialization and its influence and connection to modern day art was greatly emphasized by Professor Vesna. American mass production was first revolutionized by Henry Ford who utilized assembly lines to create cars that were inexpensive and allowed workers to be paid a living wage. However, the idea of “separating actions into pieces and having each worker do a part of the productions” first came about with the creation of the printing press (Vesna). 
Ford's assembly line. Live-News24.
Like author Walter Benjamin, many people feel negatively about industrialization and the impact (both real and potential) that it can have on art, culture and humanity. In his book, The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, Benjamin argues that mass production and reproduction depreciates a piece of art by taking away the “aura” of the original. For example, using Benjamin's argument, digital prints of da Vinci’s Mona Lisa would take away the essence of the original painting because the process is substituting plurality for originality. While I do understand Walter Benjamin's train of thought, I am not sure that I agree. I personally think that the mass reproduction of art actually makes the original more valuable and heightens the "aura". 
Mona and the metal men. Mark Bryan, 2006 44" x 24". 

Human skepticism regarding technology and specifically robots is manifested in a majority of sci-fi movies created. For example, the movie I, Robot depicts a society where robots take on a myriad of public service positions (i.e. caretakers, personal assistants, police); however, the robots begin to malfunction and lash out on humans. Human skepticism towards robots and technology in general is represented through the character, Del Spooner, portrayed by actor Will Smith. 
Sources


Benjamin, Walter. “The Work of Art in Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” Marxists. N.p.. Web. 18 Oct 2012. <http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/benjamin.htm>. 

Davis, Douglas. “The Work of Art in the Age of Digital Reproduction (An Evolving Thesis: 1991-1995).” Leonardo, vol. 28, no. 5, 1995, pp. 381–386. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1576221.

I, Robot. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0343818/plotsummary?ref_=tt_stry_pl#synopsis

Vesna, Victoria. "Robotics pt1"YouTube, uploaded by UC Online, 15 April 2012. https:// www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=871&v=cRw9_v6w0ew. Web.


Vesna, Victoria. "Robotics pt2"YouTube, uploaded by UC Online, 15 April 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=253&v=oAZ8bo9T_Pk. Web.




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