Art may be described in a vast variety of options that mans’ emotions are expressed. Art cannot be defined by any means of category. It is to become the feeling the artist feels at the moment. Aura is an important factor to art, the aura of a masterpiece can become seen and felt once the art work is being envisioned by its audience. In the sculpture I chose I felt a certain way about myself that I feel when I begin to think of riddles or difficult math problems. Puzzled, I began thinking about the gun why it would be tied into a knot at the end of the barrel. The purpose of a gun is to shoot bullets and the gun I see is being bent apart from its purpose. But that was just my first impression of the sculpture.
Investigation
After digging into some research about the bent gun sculpture I learned that it’s the sculpture that the UN has at their headquarters in New York. It’s a non-violence act of art. Referring back to the aura of art plays an important role in this sculpture. Being surrounded by buildings of the UN that is basically the world Police I believe that the importance of the artwork is to send a message to the audience. The message being that violence is not the solution anymore.
Violence is old news, the modern world lives in the acts of smart decisions instead of rushed actions. This world has gone thru two world wars. I believe our superiors learned that war is the final option of the list of conflict resolutions. This artwork is a symbol that the UN is not interested in solving problems by creating war with every nation that has a different view or different opinion on a decision. Each side will try their best to convince the opposing side to come to their senses and agree on one single compromise that will benefit one side more than the other. We cannot handle another war in this nation or any nation in that matter. The bent barrel gives me the message of anti-war opinions by the artist. I’m more than positive that if I was looking at this in front of me I would feel the same emotion and anger the artist felt when they made it. Guns are a symbol of death, if it’s not used to kill animals it’s pointed at humans.
Interpretation
In a way this sculpture speaks for itself, there is no other explanation this gun gives its audience. The meaning if it is so great but the message is so simple. What I mean is that it started off as a gun but then a simple expression of a knot was added and changed the meaning of the sculpture. How different would this have been if the knot wasn’t there, I would assume that they are pro-war and that the UN will most likely find their interest on creating a war without hesitation.
Walter Benjamin had an issue with reproduction of an artwork or masterpiece. He argued that once it is reproduced the copy will make the meaning fade away as if the aura of the art will soon disappear. This is important for artists, they cannot make this monument in front of a place that is surrounded by lethal weapons and a pro-gun protestant area. This form of reproduction will definitely defy its existence. The sculpture would now become a mockery or a form of getting someone to laugh because of its location. If this same monument was to be reproduced in front of a political building this would make a lot more sense and the audience would take it seriously instead of thinking about it as if was a joke.
Conclusion
This sculpture could have been used as a pro-gun propaganda. Benjamin expressed that the angle that art is being viewed changes the masterpiece entirely. Someone could have took a picture of the monument but cut off the bent part of the barrel to make it look like a gun in front of the UN headquarters. The angle of the viewpoint changes the meaning of art dramatically.
Benjamin knew that reproduction would end up creating different meanings for art. People can see the difference it makes when they see the real thing instead of seeing a picture. It’s like seeing someone you have not met in a picture then finally meeting the person and thinking that he looked shorter I the picture. That is what Benjamin argued against, the act or reproduction taking away the originality to fool the person into believing something that wasn’t the meaning of the art.
After digging into some research about the bent gun sculpture I learned that it’s the sculpture that the UN has at their headquarters in New York. It’s a non-violence act of art. Referring back to the aura of art plays an important role in this sculpture. Being surrounded by buildings of the UN that is basically the world Police I believe that the importance of the artwork is to send a message to the audience. The message being that violence is not the solution anymore.
Violence is old news, the modern world lives in the acts of smart decisions instead of rushed actions. This world has gone thru two world wars. I believe our superiors learned that war is the final option of the list of conflict resolutions. This artwork is a symbol that the UN is not interested in solving problems by creating war with every nation that has a different view or different opinion on a decision. Each side will try their best to convince the opposing side to come to their senses and agree on one single compromise that will benefit one side more than the other. We cannot handle another war in this nation or any nation in that matter. The bent barrel gives me the message of anti-war opinions by the artist. I’m more than positive that if I was looking at this in front of me I would feel the same emotion and anger the artist felt when they made it. Guns are a symbol of death, if it’s not used to kill animals it’s pointed at humans.
Interpretation
In a way this sculpture speaks for itself, there is no other explanation this gun gives its audience. The meaning if it is so great but the message is so simple. What I mean is that it started off as a gun but then a simple expression of a knot was added and changed the meaning of the sculpture. How different would this have been if the knot wasn’t there, I would assume that they are pro-war and that the UN will most likely find their interest on creating a war without hesitation.
Walter Benjamin had an issue with reproduction of an artwork or masterpiece. He argued that once it is reproduced the copy will make the meaning fade away as if the aura of the art will soon disappear. This is important for artists, they cannot make this monument in front of a place that is surrounded by lethal weapons and a pro-gun protestant area. This form of reproduction will definitely defy its existence. The sculpture would now become a mockery or a form of getting someone to laugh because of its location. If this same monument was to be reproduced in front of a political building this would make a lot more sense and the audience would take it seriously instead of thinking about it as if was a joke.
Conclusion
This sculpture could have been used as a pro-gun propaganda. Benjamin expressed that the angle that art is being viewed changes the masterpiece entirely. Someone could have took a picture of the monument but cut off the bent part of the barrel to make it look like a gun in front of the UN headquarters. The angle of the viewpoint changes the meaning of art dramatically.
Benjamin knew that reproduction would end up creating different meanings for art. People can see the difference it makes when they see the real thing instead of seeing a picture. It’s like seeing someone you have not met in a picture then finally meeting the person and thinking that he looked shorter I the picture. That is what Benjamin argued against, the act or reproduction taking away the originality to fool the person into believing something that wasn’t the meaning of the art.
Eric Salgado, i enjoy making money. i am in need of a new laptop.