KUWAIT: Kuwaiti artist Mohammed Al-Mansour said on Saturday that a serious and conservative artistic culture of high value can stand up against the "culture of flattening" — which refers to low-quality media content — that is sweeping the world. This came during an interview with the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) at the Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts, currently held in Jordan. The festival honored him as one of the Arab creators recognized "for their various achievements and their role in enriching Arabic content".
"We still have a high-value, beautiful, and useful product that provides a fulsome culture received by the audience with joy," Mansour said. He stressed the importance of providing well-thought projects to face what he referred to as "the fast food” era the media is currently facing — meaning an era with quick-to-consume and low-quality content.
Speaking on receiving the honorary shield from the Jordanian Minister of Culture Haifa Al-Najjar, Mansour said that "the honor did not come out of nowhere, but as a result of effort and a long road of suffering, hope, and giving." He said he feels great responsibility to maintain his talent and respectable attitude. Regarding the cultural role of Kuwait in its Arab environment, he said that "this role continues despite the challenges, both during the invasion period and currently as a result of a strong tide that includes strange concepts and behaviors sweeping Arab society".
Mansour also praised Jordan’s efforts and its role in this field. As for his upcoming works, he said that he has two works in the holy month of Ramadan: the first, a heritage drama called Al-Khan, the events of which take place between Kuwait and Zanzibar, while the second, The Time of Al-Ajaj, deals with the "poisoned ideas" affecting the Arab region, he said. Jordanian Minister of Culture Haifa Al-Najjar handed the Mansour the Jerash Festival shield as one of the Arab creators who enriched the Arabic content within the activities of the Jerash Festival, which is currently held until August 5.- KUNA