The mediation function between the writer and the publisher did not represent an authority in the world of bookmaking, whether of a creative or cognit
The mediation function between the writer and the publisher did not represent an authority in the world of bookmaking, whether of a creative or cognitive nature, until the middle of the last century, despite the emergence of the profession of “literary editor” since the second half of the nineteenth century. Mohamed Brada
The certain thing is that the novelist, philosopher, critic, historian, or playwright does not need a publishing house just to see his work through, just as the artist does not need a gallery to present his artwork to the public. There are two intermediary authors in the process of transition from the workshop to the product offered for sale: an “editor” who reviews the writer’s manuscript, revises it, and suggests amendments that may extend from the title to the general structure, passing through the chapters and topics, scenes, spaces, and characters; and an exhibition curator (kerator) who transforms the accumulated, intersecting, and disparate works into a series of paintings, sculptures, and installations organized by a visual system that conceals a vision that seduces collectors of artworks.
Mohamed Brada
In a brilliant article by the French critic Laurent Baudier entitled: “The Curator: The New Profession in the Art World,” he spoke about what he called “understanding exhibitions,” and giving them intellectual depth, while at the same time not excluding the obsession with value, in a world where intrusive methods have become rampant, a matter related to the general mood, and to the unstable taste, which extends to the visual scene, and to the same extent to verbal narratives, where the editor, in a sense, reconstructs the formula of the presentation, based on unstable concepts, and a changing taste.
The truth is that established novelists may be able to write, review and present their works to readers of various positions, and they may sometimes take their opinion, and may disagree with them, many times, and they may go to the nearest publisher, convinced not to interfere in what is presented to him for publication, and the novel may succeed, and achieve the desired effect, or it may not have any resonance, something similar to the thousands of exhibitions that are merely shops for selling works of art, improvised by artists with a desire to get rid of a long-lasting effort, in which works overlap and appear to be mutually exclusive without the need for fabricated juxtaposition, so they do not require guiding texts.
The relationship between the writer and the artist with their works involves emotions, biases and illusions, which make the written and visual subject to any fate after they are released, and the volunteering of both to play the role of mediator is a harmful transgression into what they are not supposed to do, as they are both not neutral recipients, and they are often very sensitive to deletion or addition.
In many Arabic novels there are dozens of superfluous scenes, characters who have no functions, and thousands of errors in language, history, geographical, ethnic, and social facts.
In many examples throughout the course of the Arab novel, we can stop at a character’s name changing in a text, or an incorrect dialogue, or a reversal of illogical facts, or a shift in the narrative formula from one point of view to another that the narrative structure cannot bear… I recall here two famous examples in which the text did not exceed the threshold of three hundred pages, the first in the novel “Contiguous Lives” by Mohamed Berrada when the name of a main character in one of the sections of the last chapter of “Abdul Mawjoud Al-Warithi” was changed to “Abdul Wahid Al-Warithi”, and the second in the novel “Her Sekerda” by Rashid Al-Daif, where the character “Sosa” was transformed, in one of the passing paragraphs, from a Filipino maid to an Ethiopian maid; these are two examples of accomplished writers in which the editor did not intervene, and in other models we can find dozens of extra scenes and characters who have no functions. And thousands of errors related to language, history, geographical, ethnic and social facts. These are details that may get lost in the folds of the extended text, and sometimes critics pick them up, while they are at the core of the editor’s work who presents the refined and revised version for publication.
But if the editor is a fundamental intermediary in the world of publishing, he has never become a name with the fame and reputation of the writer, while the art curator has become, in the halls of art around the world, a powerful authority, creating names, highlighting whims and styles, and suggesting new signs to the art scene and art markets, without this meaning that he may not, by virtue of his job, become a mere assistant to the artist. In a statement not without discontent, reported by the French researcher Emmanuel Okou about “the most modern profession of the curator in today’s world,” the curator Gaëlle Chagbo believes that: “Our dialogue with the artist often moves from the aesthetic to the more fundamental questions. To be a curator, it is better to know how to answer the artist’s emails in the middle of the night and create an excellent spreadsheet, rather than just boasting about your knowledge of art history.”
Conclusion:
The editor and curator roles are essential in the world of publishing and art, respectively. They serve as mediators between the creators and the public, helping to refine and present their works. While the editor focuses on refining the content and structure of written works, the curator focuses on creating and highlighting art exhibitions. Both roles require specific skills and knowledge, and their impact can be seen in the final product.
FAQs:
Q: What is the role of an editor in the publishing process?
A: The editor plays a crucial role in the publishing process by reviewing, revising, and refining the manuscript to ensure that it meets the publishing house’s standards and the author’s vision.
Q: What is the role of a curator in the art world?
A: The curator is responsible for creating and presenting art exhibitions, selecting the works of art, and providing context and insight into the artistic process and creative decisions.
Q: How do editors and curators contribute to the final product?
A: Both editors and curators contribute to the final product by refining and presenting the content or artworks in a way that enhances the creators’ vision and message, making them more accessible and engaging for the public.
Q: What are the skills and knowledge required to become an editor or curator?
A: Both roles require specific skills and knowledge, including linguistic and artistic expertise, understanding of cultural and social contexts, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively with creatives.
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