Attention to Local Culture in the Year of National Production

An Interview with Mohammad Naseri, the official in charge of story and novel workshop of the Art Bureau

Mohammad Naseri is responsible for the story and novel workshop of the Art Bureau; he has some works such as “Shout” collection of stories for teens, itinerary of “Footsteps of Ibrahim”, and “A Drop, A Sea” in his workbook. We had an interview with him, the secretary of Shahid Ghanipoor festival in the area of Islamic Revolution book and Roshd Festival of Educational Books, about the condition of books in the area of Revolution, especially the story and novel.

What features should a selected and fine work in the area of book, especially story and novel, have?

A selected and fine work has some features which are mainly technical, and a good novel and story shall be attractive. In addition, the most important indicator of such a work is having deep emotional effect on the audience, a new type of attitude, giving effective information to the audience, or all of them together. A work may be accepted by the professional audiences or referees providing that while having technical features, it emerges deep effect on the audience and reader.

How do you evaluate the current status of novels and stories of the revolution?

The gap in the field of story and novel of the revolution was first notified in the Art Bureau by Mr. Fard. He said that a gap is felt in the field of the Islamic Revolution to which we have not paid attention as it deserves. Mr. Momeni has also had some activities in this regard. It seems that if we divide the recent decade into two five-year periods, we will see that we have taken positive steps and we have had good works in terms of quality and quantity in the field of novel and story of the revolution; that is, during the past five years writers of this area have had better activities and they have published good works. If we have a look at the heavier pan of the scale, we see that the numbers of books which are published in this area are not less; among them “A King without K”, “The Reception Hall”, “The Last Tear”, and “Lichens” could be mentioned that while having very good and rich content, they are verified by the festival of revolution.

Given that the current year is named as “the National Production and Supporting Iranian Capital and Labour”, what activities can the authorities and entities in the area of book have in the field of production of book, especially the novels and stories of the revolution?

The national production has its own requirements in each area and the main audiences in the area of culture are the academia who has to show national approach from themselves in the field of compilation and publication of indigenous books together with modern creativity. For instance, once the amount of translation was more than compilation in the area of children and teens, especially in the area of fictional literature, - such a situation was not good and appropriate. Translation is not bad, but some conditions were created that the area of domestic and national production was reduced. Since we do cultural works in the area of book, we have to pay attention to our culture and what we have in this area. Cultural managers and authorities shall prepare such situations to create appropriate and notable works with creativity and innovation in which we do the best of us regarding the Islamic Revolution.

Are the works in various festivals studied, criticised, or published after the end of festival?

In recent years, we just had the duty to choose and introduce the superior stories and novels in Shahid Ghanipoor Festival; not supporting them. In the 10^th Shahid Ghanipoor Festival in the year 1389 which was held in the presence of Mr. Dorri (Cultural Deputy to Minister of Guidance), we notified that our duty is just to hold and introduce the selected works and Mr. Dorri, the cultural official, has to do something in favour of these works. He clarified that the Ministry of Guidance buys one print of all books and gives them to public libraries of all around the country. Shahid Ghanipoor Festival is a public and mosque festival that does not have the mechanism to support from publishing all books; but it provides the scene for their introduction in the form of festival; however, Mr. Dorri’s promise in this regard must become practical.

The Art Bureau has also performed appropriate activities in the area of criticise and study of books of the revolution and has boomed the criticise market in such sessions which was given a tremendous welcome. Criticism causes weak and strength points of a work to be emerged, it is worthy that IRIB enters the area of book-especially novel and story of the revolution which have a great place of work- as a national media and attempts to produce program and hold scientific and professional meetings. In order to boom production of novel and story of the revolution more, we all have to join our hands.

How could it be possible to provide the grounds to introduce novels and stories on Revolution?

Cultural Deputies can give books of the Islamic Revolution area to the public libraries with special support and put the activities of such publishers as Sooreh Mehr on their agenda. Conditions must be provided in which publishers can introduce books of the area of revolution to those interested in this area. Reviewing novels of the revolution, holding professional and scientific meetings, hard talks, and pathology of this area in order to find out the obstacles on the way of publishing this kind of books are of so importance.

Saturday, June 23, 2012 - 10:49