Beyond the concept of Aura

Abstract

Confining itself essentially to the determinations of the concept of Aura in Walter Benjamin's own writings, his correspondence with Theodor W. Adorno, and to a limited extent to Adornö's own writings where the concept is taken up, pres ent article attempts to provide an account of the 'things' beyond Aura yet pointed at by the latter's demise under modern technology, a now-amorphous reality. These are, namely, the 'modern' phenomena of "Das Erlebnis (discrete, even momentous, experiences) / memoire volontaire (will-powered short-term memory)" in opposition to the 'tradition-heritage' bound couplet, "Die Erfahrung (distilled life-experience, often unconsciously operating in a person) / memoire involontaire (long-term memory). The concept of Aura also has a bearing with respect to the phenomenon of 'art.' this means: while, on the one hand, the existence of Aura in a work of art points to its 'authenticity/ necessary 'distanciation' of the work of art from the gaze of the possessive 'subject, 'and hence the resulting radical 'unconsumability,' perhaps even under modern technological conditions, on the other hand, the 'loss of Aura' due to extreme reproducibility often ends up with its semblance, even its fake, namely 'halo' (Aureole) of short-term validity, catering to the manipulated demand of consumers on the markets of commodified culture.