Art and business build social identity

DURING a recent “Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Region” class, I posed a question to my students: “Is art created for its own sake or for the benefit of society?” This sparked a lively debate, with the first group advocating for the freedom of artistic expression. They argued that art should be a form of self-expression, free from external constraints.

The opposing group is particularly concerned with the works of Dr. Jose Rizal. One student argues that Rizal’s novels, inspired by his personal experience and observations, served both purposes; at the same time, they function as artistic masterpieces; they also profoundly impacted society by exposing the injustices faced by our ancestors and contributed to the revolutionary movement.