The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction

[Gianluca Drago]

Context: Vasarely Foundation, Aix-en-Provence, France, 2019.
Title quote: Walter Benjamin.
The last trip abroad before Covid.

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

Well... that's intriguing! Is that you, Gianluca, with your back to the camera? It doesn't look like you in the reflection...
If it is a reflection. Can't quite work it out!

 

[Gianluca Drago]

That man could be me, but no, I was elsewhere taking a photo with a phone (probably for the first time in my life). There are no reflections in this photo, just a man with a phone photographing a person with a phone photographing an optical artwork by Vasarely as time passes through the scene dressed in a black shirt.

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

That man could be me, but no, I was elsewhere taking a photo with a phone (probably for the first time in my life). There are no reflections in this photo, just a man with a phone photographing a person with a phone photographing an optical artwork by Vasarely as time passes through the scene dressed in a black shirt.

Wow... interesting indeed! I seriously thought that was a kind of mirror. Apologies for my incomprehension too. I like it.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

No apologies. Indeed, in some way, it was a mirror.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I’d love to see what she photographed: the handsome man photographing her

The colour version works better for me, as I don’t think the phone renders b&w very well.

What I find interesting is that the story is all about the three people (yourself included) than the art work.

Is she your wife? I only ask because I would find it difficult to photograph a woman I did not know.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

Is she your wife? I only ask because I would find it difficult to photograph a woman I did not know.

I know, it would be difficult for me too. Yes, she is.

 

[Gary R. Smith]

This mechanical art seems to fit well with your title...

 

[Gianluca Drago]

This mechanical art seems to fit well with your title...

No doubt it fits, @Gary R. Smith.

 

[Gary R. Smith]

And it caught my eye due to the fact that I also played with watch repair.

 

[Beth Carter]

so presumably there's another shot out there where you're the one standing behind the art?

 

[Gianluca Drago]

so presumably there's another shot out there where you're the one standing behind the art?

Presumably.