Final answer:
Walter Benjamin argued that reproductions, like photographs and films, diminish the original 'aura' of artworks by separating them from their original context and traditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
In his essay "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," cultural theorist Walter Benjamin actually argues the contrary to the statement presented in the question. He believes that the 'aura' of an artwork, its unique presence in time and space, is diminished in reproductions such as photographs and films. This is because these reproductions remove the art from its original context and traditions, thus stripping away its 'aura' of authenticity. Benjamin's argument suggests that while reproductions can spread the image of an artwork, they cannot convey the full material history or the original 'aura' that belongs to the original.