cassiedoddDESMA9 Week 3 Robotics + Art
Surprisingly, the relationship between industrialization and art started with something as simple as the printing press. While Gutenberg usually gets the spotlight, it was actually invented much earlier, around 1040, by the Chinese (Hoh, Anchi). This invention changed the way knowledge was produced and shared. Suddenly, books could be mass-printed, making information way more accessible than ever before. Walter Benjamin touches on this in The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, where he explains how this shift didn’t just affect how art was made and distributed but also transformed how people experienced it. According to Benjamin, reproducing art on a large scale stripped it of its “aura”; however, it opened a door for more people to engage with art in previously impossible ways. In other words, it was a trade-off that helped shape the modern world (Benjamin, Walter).
Frank Malina was a key figure who bridged the gap between science and art. Starting as an aerospace engineer, he later created kinetic art using light and motion to explore scientific concepts. He also founded Leonardo, a journal that encouraged collaboration between artists and scientists, challenging the idea that those fields should stay separate. His work showed that technology can be used as a tool for creativity and connection
I believe that WALL-E dives into what happens when industrialization and mass production go way too far. In a world abandoned by humans and overrun by waste, WALL-E manages to find meaning in collecting cultural remnants. This reflects Walter Benjamin’s idea that mass reproduction strips art of its original “aura,” although WALL-E shows that emotional value can still be found in forgotten objects. Ironically, the robot displays more humanity than the people, demonstrating that the increase highlights how mechanization risks disconnecting us from creativity and empathy, but also how technology can preserve those things if used intentionally.
In the end, industrialization has drastically altered art and our emotional connections to the world around us. While mass production can strip meaning from objects, as seen in WALL-E, it also holds the potential to preserve and even enhance human creativity if we use technology thoughtfully.
Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. London, Penguin Books, 1936.
Disney. “Wall-E.” YouTube, 9 Dec. 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RcNwlq7JSw.
Frankmalina.com, 2025, www.frankmalina.com/en/artworks.html.
Hoh, Anchi. “The History of Printing in Asia according to Library of Congress Asian Collections – Part 1 | 4 Corners of the World: International Collections and Studies at the Library of Congress.” Blogs.loc.gov, 22 June 2021, blogs.loc.gov/international-collections/2021/06/the-history-of-printing-in-asia-according-to-library-of-congress-asian-collections-part-1/.
Hi Cassie! I also thought WALL-E was a great example of what would happen when industrialization went too far. I believe that it is things such as WALL-E that help serve as a notice to prevent things from going too far. Although some of the functions presented in the film would definitely make our daily lives much easier, it could ultimately strip us of our "aura," so much so even a robot could posses more of. Using technology appropriately has been a growing concern, but I think as long as everyone holds each other accountable, there will hopefully be a day where we can enjoy the benefits of industrialization and art without worries.
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