On Nora Aunor: art and the artist’s personal life

Some thoughts on the failure of Nora Aunor to get the National Artist Award:

1. Do we judge a person’s art based on his or her personal life?

2. Does  a person’s art stand independently of his or her personal life?

3. Does the tragedy of his or her personal life enrich the art?

4. Has the pain resulted in the perfection of his or her art?

The Oscar Award for Best Supporting Actor posthumously given to Heath Ledger, who died of a drug overdose, is powerful proof that an artist’s personal life is distinctly separate from his or her art.

—ABELARDO K. GONZALEZ, Caloocan City