I have read and re-read "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" by Walter Benjamin, published in 1936. It is a fascinating and challenging read. Much like philosophy text books, it requires very closes reading, and multiple readings to actually elucidate the complete meaning. I'm not there yet.

What I have gathered so far is that reproduction destroys something about a work of art. The original piece maintains its identity in relation to its unique location in space, its history, and its 'aura' as an object with presence. Copies and reproductions of any kind lose this uniqueness, this aura.
Authenticity is another concept with suffers from reproduction, and in fact the author states that once mechanical reproductions began to flourish the very "authority of the object" is jeopardized. (p. 4)
It is easy to see how such a change would have lasting and permanent effects on the art world, and its traditions. Whereas before there was one and only one object, now there are an unlimited number of copies floating around and making their way into the lives of common people.
Prints, magazine, photos and films are all consumed by the masses on scales far exceeding anything known before the age of mechanical reproduction.
Copies both destroy and create. They destroy aura, presence, authenticity and in some way the authority of art, but at the same time copies increase consumption and distribution of art, making it widely available where it never was before.

Benjamin states that the earliest art forms were in service of ritual, first magical, then religious.
I like that comment since I am interested in ritual art forms.

Oh, this article is long and boggy, so I'm going to end this post for now.
We'll talk about it more today in class I'm sure.