Essays of Walter Benjamin
VA4235.02
Course Description
Summary
The works of German philosopher and cultural theorist Walter Benjamin (1892-1940) endure as sources of fascination, inspiration and critical reflection across disciplines. With a focus on his significance for artists and curators, this seminar looks at selections from Benjamin’s famous and lesser-known writing, from his seminal essay “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” to his enigmatic masterwork the Arcades Project. Close readings of assigned texts are supplemented by lectures and student research on contemporary examples of Benjamin’s influence. A review of Benjamin’s tumultuous life provides a frame for his Marxist and antifascist positions, his analysis of the emergence of modern society, and his faith in the survival of art amid violence and repression.Prerequisites
Prior 4000-level coursework in art history or literature, and instructor's consent.
Please contact the faculty member : annethompson@bennington.edu