Literature and Arts in Yemen: Strong Bonds and Continuous Challenges

Alia Mohammed – Sawt Al-Amal (Voice of Hope)

Literature is one of the oldest and most important forms of artistic expression. It plays a major role in expressing ideas, feelings, and meanings through language, which is a tool for transmitting human experiences among people. Throughout history, literature and other arts such as painting, sculpture, music, theater, and even cinema, have gone hand in hand, influencing and being influenced by each other.

In our time, the relationship between literature and the arts is witnessing new developments. Digital technologies are merging with artistic creativity, and there is a reciprocal interaction that has influenced, in general, the shaping of cultural identities and the enhancement of human experiences.

Literature and music have a deep historical relationship. Rhythm is the cornerstone of many works of art, especially in ancient times. Music was inseparable from poetry, it was an integral part of it, as in Andalusian Muwashahat, where the poet’s words are blended with musical melodies.

As for the relationship between literature and sculpture, it is embodied in the fact that sculptors have taken models from literary texts, especially in European works of literature, which were more concerned with sculpture than other scientific works of literature. As for the art of drawing, it was also an inspiration for poets. There are thousands of drawings that were created to express various poems and literary works, especially those internal drawings that accompany some poetic collections.

Theater is one of the most prominent arts that combine literary creativity and acting. In theater, words are not just printed letters, but they transform into living actions that embody reality in all its details. It is a mirror that reflects human emotions and societies. As for the relationship between literature and cinema, it is a unique art that combines the aesthetics of several complex auditory and visual expressive arts. It brings together image, movement, and word. It is also a narrative art that uses moving images and sound as a means of expression, unlike other arts that rely on mass, size, and color.

The Strong Link

Writer Najib Al-Turki believes that literature is related to many other arts, most importantly: poetry, prose, theater, short stories, novels, visual art, criticism, oratory, and music. Each type has its characteristics and style that distinguish it from others.

He added: “Arts and literature form a single interconnected fabric. They exchange inspiration and influence. Literature, being the language of the soul and expression, draws its strength from other arts that provide it with new tools to express visions and feelings. In turn, the arts find in literature a source of inspiration and meaning.”

He emphasized in his conversation that the relationship between the arts and literature is a strong and tight one. For example, when a poet or writer finishes writing a poem or vision, it remains confined to the papers in his private library, even though it is worthy of being sung or turned into an audio and visual show. This is where the role of other arts comes in to translate literary works into tangible reality through melody, arrangement, singing, and presenting it on stage.

Regarding the influence and impact of these arts on our current reality, Al-Turki clarified that the influence is measured by the quality of work presented, whether it is good or bad, written, read, heard, or seen. It reflects negatively or positively on the reality of society and its behavior, even the simplest daily transactions that we cannot imagine.

For his part, writer Riyadh Hammadi describes the relationship between literature and other arts as one of interdependence and complementarity. He says: “The arts and literature enrich each other. This cooperation between the two types yields new experiences and forms that contribute to enhancing rich and diverse artistic experiences.”

He added: “Literature and the arts are spiritual products. Without them, societies remain soulless. They are also the only soft front that confronts the culture of violence and extremism. Their weakness or absence could negatively impact the reality of society. The state of society, in terms of progress or backwardness, can be evaluated by measuring the level of arts and literature quantitatively and qualitatively. The more the arts and literature develop and flourish, the more we will see the positive impact of this flourishing on society, and vice versa.”

He explained that the interaction between literature and the arts is good if we look at the global and Arab scene. However, it is weak in Yemen due to the weakness of literary and artistic production, in particular.

In a related context, journalist Muhammad Al-Nadhari believes that literature is linked to all arts in their various fields, such as poetry in its ancient and modern forms, and prose in its forms such as short stories, stories, and novels, through a complementary relationship. He believes that the interaction between the art of literature and other arts creates unbreakable bonds between art and literature due to the overlapping between them. Literature and art rely on the production of material that is both technically and literarily eloquent.

He emphasizes that the interaction between literature and other arts is essential, contributing to giving materials or topics emerging from their fusion a deeper meaning and diverse dimensions, multiplying their value and importance among the community of readers and intellectuals, regardless of their inclinations.

Types of Arts Related to Literature

Literature and different arts intertwine in many ways, and each art has its own strengths and unique characteristics, which together contribute to enriching the cultural and artistic scene in general.

On the other hand, literature can influence the development of other arts by providing profound ideas that inspire artists in all artistic fields. In addition, literature helps develop narrative styles in the arts of cinema and theater, which rely on dramatic construction and complex plots from literary writing techniques.
This allows literature to explore new and complex themes such as identity, love, and conflict, which other arts use to produce rich materials that reflect culture and history, contributing to enriching the arts and strengthening cultural identity by presenting shared human experiences.

On the most important arts related to literature, Riyadh Hammadi says in his conversation: “Cinema is one of the arts most closely related to literature. We find that many fiction films are transferred from the novel to the cinema, and long films are described as fiction because their narrative structure is close to the structure of the novelistic text, with a significant difference related to the technique of the written novelistic narrative, which relies on “Telling”, while the cinematic or photographic narrative novel relies on the technique of “Telling and Showing”.”
He adds: “As for the visual arts, it is closely related to literature through the accompaniment of drawings to poetic and short story texts. In addition, there is theater, which combines art and literature in its description and is one of the most interactive aspects of literature, as literary texts are presented directly in front of the audience by relying on dialogue and characters.”

Challenges and Difficulties

Riyad Hammadi points out that the first challenge facing the interaction between literature and other arts is “the culture of prohibition and suppression that emanates from extremist currents. This challenge is compounded by the absence of public and private institutional policies and plans that support the enhancement of arts and literature in society, weak funding for establishing specialized institutes for teaching arts, and insufficient support for existing institutions. Additionally, there are legal obstacles and bureaucratic hurdles that often hinder artists and writers, impeding the publication of their work, which is often relies on self-efforts.”

In a related context, Najib Al-Turki described our current Yemeni artistic reality as a bleak and unfortunate reality. He says: “The arts in general suffer from stagnation. There are no cinema halls, there are dilapidated theaters, and closed art colleges, which made the Yemeni artists stumble here and there to make a living. There are no significant artistic elements capable of building an aware generation, nor are there any enlightened government institutions that support artists and creative people.”

Recommendations
As a result of the challenges hindering the movement of literature and other arts, it was necessary for all official, private, and even societal parties to work together to activate literature and other arts by opening institutes to study arts and literature from different cultures to broaden horizons, organizing workshops to teach creative writing and drawing skills, and organizing training courses to teach how to appreciate arts and literature. In addition, a need to cooperate with cultural institutions and libraries to encourage communities to read books and discuss them, provide the necessary support for emerging artists, and establish platforms for displaying their works.
In addition, holding cultural festivals to bring together literature, music, and visual arts, as well as organizing short story and poetry writing competitions, displaying works of art, and conducting literary readings, can significantly enhance the synergy between the arts and literature while promoting their appreciation within the community.