My thoughts on the Walter Benjamin essay:
I agree with Megan about how most forms of art are reproductions. What I think is unique about artwork is the artist's perspective of the subject of the work, and their perception of it when they are creating their piece. Everyone views the world differently, and this is what shapes makes our creations unique. Even if an exact reproduction of a work of art is made, there were slight differences in the emphasis of certain parts and certainly in the methods of creating it. The medium chosen certainly has a huge bearing on the outcome, and this is a major part of the reproduction's uniqueness.
Another thing I found interesting was his discussion of the cult value of art versus its exhibition value. I think that we often only imagine art as being created to put on display and make a statement for a large audience. I have mixed feelings about this general assumption of art being for the masses-- I think creative expression is more beneficial to the author and, obviously, the audience when shared, but at the same time that expression is often therapeutic and can seem to lose some of its value when it is publicly scrutinized. The same goes for art that is politicized, although I think that this can simply add a new dimension to its artistic value.
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