This course will focus students on the influence of one essay by one critic, “The Work of Art in the Age of its Technological Reproducibility” by Walter Benjamin. It is often referred to simply as “the Artwork essay,” thus the title of this course. In his 1936 essay, Benjamin argues that the function and experience of “art” is radically altered after the advent of new visual technologies, and that this revolution in the artwork’s status must change the way we think about art’s relationship to everyday life. In the first few days, we will unpack his argument with care, making sure to contextualize his approach within Marxist studies, make sure we understand the myriad points from which he attempts to assess the artistic-technological revolution he perceives, and be able to form relevant questions and connections related to his arguments. It’s a dense, sometimes cryptic essay, so slow-going is the best way to find sure footing. This first section of the course will culminate in a first short paper exploring the relevance of one part of the essay to the overall argument. In the second section of the course, we will read essays by two key contemporary critics who have expanded on the meaning or importance of key parts of Benjamin’s argument. We will see how Benjamin’s influence has adapted itself to newer modes of cultural and materialist critique. All readings in a course packet.