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Photography and Capitlism. Photography, by inexorably transforming the aura of
authenticity into a commodity would hasten the demise of capitalism itself. ...
Submitted by celotape on January 17, 2006
Category: Miscellaneous
Words: 2058 | Pages: 9
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Photography, by inexorably transforming the aura of authenticity into a commodity would hasten the demise of capitalism itself. As a mechanical manifestation of the capitalist mode of production, photography, necessarily bore the seeds of capitalisms own implosion and demise.
The quote is used in an essay named Ectoplasm, the death of photography. The essay is a laborious and analytical look at the condition of photography in the digital age. This writing by Benjamin is used within the context to that of photography being linked with death. However, it is interesting what is being supposed.
Authenticity, 1.of undisputed origin or authorship; 2. Genuine
Aura, a distinctive air or quality associated with a person or thing
Photography is itself a statement of bourgeoisie power over the material world
the medium whatever it depicts proclaims the bourgeoisie latent ownership of everything'
Photographic truth turned into a commodity is what Benjamin argues will quicken the downfall of capitalism. Photography itself being a machine of the capitalist bears the seeds capitalisms own implosion and demise' . Does this statement have any standing? Is what Benjamin proposes true and is photography the downfall of the Capitalist regime?
The advent of photography saw the demise of past reproduction techniques, such as miniature painting, because of its exact representations and inexpensive cost. Henry Fox Talbot's first images were a copy of his possessions; Daguerreotypes were an inexpensive replacement of miniature painting of ones loved one. The photograph gave people the notion that they had captured the object, or person in the image, it was there it was real. The Victorian era was an era of productive capitalism. Capitalism was beginning to break the homogeny of religion and institutions and dictate their status, power and political order .
Positivism...
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