Re: The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction (Excerpt)

A lot of Benjamin's points are spot on.  As time has progressed, and art alongside with it, the reproductions of the original have become more valuable than the original, ie. lithography, photography.  Contrast this with before the invention of such mechanical reproductive acts where the original was the most important and valuable piece, and it's a very interesting shift.  I think this was incredible advancement, especially in art, because it made all of the content available to the masses who previously didn't have access to such pieces.

Benjamin's concept of aura is interesting and also still relevant.  The whole reason we care about some pieces of contemporary art are because of the aura it holds, whether that's the artist's reputation, the current owner of the piece, or it's place in social or historical contexts.  It's a very interesting thing to think about in the context of what makes art "art" or what makes something more important art than a different piece, which Benjamin argues is it's aura.