1.

Personal function – arts are vehicles for the artist’s

expression of their feelings and ideas. Ex. Music, in
which the therapeutic value cannot be ignored.
2. Social function – as a social being, man uses art to
associate with others as in choral singing, drama
performances, and even traditional rites or ethnic
practices.
3. Economic function – art can be a lucrative financial
source. Ex. Michael Jackson earned millions of dollars
for his records and performance.
4. Political function – political agenda may be promoted
hand-in-hand with the advocacy of the arts as a means of
image building. Ex. Mdme. Imelda Marcos, Joseph
Estrada.
5. Historical function – art forms become records of history
and serve to remind us of all the memorable people and
significant events that glorify our past and defines our
humanity. Ex. Sculpture of Philippine heroes.
6. Cultural function – artworks mirror a people’s past,
present and future. They serve as embodiments of a
country’s unique culture and national identity. Ex. Ethnic
dances and literary works
7. Religious function – earliest art form were religious
nature, man began to imitate God’s creation. This is the
primary function of such building as pyramids in Egypt,
mausoleum in Rome churches and mosques all around the
world.
8. Physical function – Tools and containers are objects
which function to make our lives physically comfortable.
Functional works of art may be classified as either tools or
containers.
Ex. Spoon – tool community – container
car – tool ceramic vase – container
building – container chair – container
9. Aesthetic function – when artworks are intended to
beautify, they serve an aesthetic function.
- Many things remain the same in shape throughout the
years because their functional requirements do not allow
for greater variations in their form. Time has proved that
their designs best enable them to accomplish their
purpose.
Group of Arts:
1. Major arts = painting, architecture, sculpture, literature,
music and dance. (Arts need human ingenuity
- They evoke deep appreciation from those who perceive
them because they have very strong appeal to the senses
of sight, hearing and feeling.
- One is easily brought into thinking of how, when and why
the artist created such artwork.
2. Minor arts – decorative arts, the popular arts, the graphic
arts, the plastic arts and industrial arts.
- It rely on the ‘styling’ for their aesthetic appeal.
- The value is derived mostly on visual appeal and in
usefulness.
Categories of Arts:
1. Visual arts

2 types: Graphic arts and Plastic arts

2. Auditory arts – these are purely audial, which means
they are appreciated mainly through the sense of hearing.
Ex. Literary arts and music. (Literary arts also called verbal
arts since their focus is on the use of words to create
artistic works.
3. Performing arts – these arts, also referred “combined
arts”, while we hear the music being played, these arts are
better viewed or watched because the portrayal of
message or theme involves acting performances.
Ex. Ms. Saigon
4. Popular arts – these art types are the young people’s
craze today. They include film, newspaper, magazine,
television, radio and multimedia arts.
Ex. Eat Bulaga. ASAP.
5. Gustatory or Culinary arts – these art involves skill in
designing menus and actual food preparations.
6. Decorative arts – these are also called applied arts.
Their value lies more on their ornamental or decorative
purpose. These visual objects are used primarily to beautify
houses, offices, cars, etc.