Friday 10 April 2015

Arts: For What Sake?

Some say arts is for arts’ sake, that is, arts does not extend beyond the matter of aesthetics. On the other side, some believe there is nothing like arts for arts’ sake, arts is for society’s sake.

Aesthetic experience is enjoyment for its own sake, is complete and self-contained, and is terminal, not merely instrumental to other purposes—John Dewey

In the world today all culture, all literature and art belong to definite classes and are geared to definite political lines. There is no such thing as art for art’s sake, art that stands above classes or art that is detached from or independent of politics—Mao Tse-stung

 For us, arts is both for its sake and the society’s. To say that arts is not for its sake is to deny the ‘innocent’ appreciation of arts for its aesthetic value and to say arts is just for arts’ sake and nothing more is an inconclusive assertion, the one that denies the ‘committed’ nature of arts. Without denying the centrality of aesthetics in arts, we strongly assert that arts goes beyond the façade of aesthetics. Arts, robed with the toga of aesthetics, contains critical contents, for those who can see, and who want to see. Arts and society influence each other. Arts speaks to society, society speaks to arts.

ArtsandSociety.Com is built on this aesthetic-functionalist approach. Thus, it’s a platform created for critiquing the Nigerian society through its arts; appreciating the beauty and analysing the content.
Here we value the beauty and the function does not elude us. Ours is a balanced approach. What is your opinion?

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