Poetry in the age of digital (re)production: Digital aura in new media poetry

Abstract

The paper "Poetry in the Age of Digital (Re)production: Digital Aura in New Media Poetry" explores the evolution of new media poetry from the 1990s to the present day, engaging with Walter Benjamin's concept of the aura of authentic art to analyze three forms of new media poetry and define the digital aura in this context. The following analysis is grounded in new media theories, particularly those of Lev Manovich and N. Katherine Hayles. The paper discusses how digital technologies have transformed the creation, distribution, and consumption of poetry and challenged notions of authenticity and originality. It emphasizes the interaction between poets and software, the blurring of boundaries between different forms of new media art, and the concept of materiality in the digital realm. The paper highlights the significance of the material aspects of digital art, drawing attention to the interplay between the physical and virtual dimensions and the sensory experiences they provide. The paper traces the development of new media poetry in different web eras - Web 1.0 helped launch e-poetry, Web 2.0 enabled poetry on social media platforms, and Web 3.0 engraved NFT poetry on blockchain technology. The analysis of three distinct forms of new media poetry - kinetic poetry, Instapoetry, and NFT poetry - demonstrates how each form engages with the digital aura and challenges traditional notions of authenticity and artistic presence. The paper concludes that the digital aura is not an inherent characteristic of artwork, but a continuous process realized through the interactions of artists and the audience with code, software, and interface.