Week 3: Robotics + Art

 This week our lectures and associated materials covered topics of industrialization in terms of the mechanization and widespread distribution of art. The birth of mechanization began with the invention of the printing press and metal movable type, credited to Gutenberg but originally created by the Chinese, that increased page production from around 40 pages per day to upwards of 3,500. This stark expansion in the reproduction of written works cultivated a new way of information sharing, as it now allowed for rapid dispersion of knowledge, religion, and scientific discoveries. 

Original Printing Press, Courtesy of HISTORY.com

It was the innovation set forth by the printing press and the use of mechanization that transformed the way in which many handmade items were made, including the arts. Walter Benjamin examines the role of mechanization in the art realm and what replicated or copied art signifies about the piece itself. Benjamin argues that “the uniqueness of a work of art is inseparable from its being embedded in the fabric of tradition” and that by changing the way by which art is produced we are inherently changing the aura, the ritual, and the meaning for which the piece was constructed. This discussion also comes at a time of emerging art fields such as photography and eventually film, in which the basis of these mediums’ rely on prints or replicas, permanently changing what it means to be authentic while also reconsidering values behind traditional art making.

Mechanization of textile production, Courtesy of Fine Art America

The evolution of art creation as well as the way in which we appreciate art could not have occurred without industrialization, mechanization, and eventually widespread technology. I argue that this transformed way of making and viewing art with the aid of technology and mechanization is beneficial as it allows for worldwide accessibility to view the piece. I also am aware of how this new technology and use of digital or duplicated work can result in a loss of traditional authenticity or sense of uniqueness. Overall, the inevitability of this changing field in light of mechanization and industrialization allows for more information, artwork, and techniques to be shared and enjoyed amongst a worldwide audience, globally expanding our artistic network and furthering the development of new art forms.

Video of how art can be replicated today using 3D technology, Courtesy of FastCompany.com

Sources:

Benjamin, Walter. "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction." 1936.

Davis, Douglas. “The Work of Art in the Age of Digital Reproduction (An Evolving Thesis: 1991-1995).” Leonardo, vol. 28, no. 5, 1995, pp. 381–86. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1576221.

Diaz, Jesus. “We’re Entering a New Era of Cheap and Perfect Knock-off Art.” Fast Company, 29 Nov. 2018, https://www.fastcompany.com/90272935/were-entering-a-wild-new-era-of-cheap-and-perfect-knock-off-art.

“Mechanization Art.” Fine Art America, https://fineartamerica.com/art/mechanization. Accessed 14 Apr. 2022.

Mirenfred. Dirk the Homeless Robot/Www.Electric-Circus.Eu. 2008. YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HfmKXfp394.

Roemer, Robin. Chapter 08 - Mechanization of the Printing Press. p. 11.

Roos, Dave. “7 Ways the Printing Press Changed the World.” HISTORY, https://www.history.com/news/printing-press-renaissance. Accessed 14 Apr. 2022.

Vesna, Victoria. "Lectures Part 1." DESMA 9, 11 April 2022, UCLA, Bruinwalk, Unit 3.