By Afrah Al-Nassar
KUWAIT, Oct 13 (KUNA) -- Kuwait's caricaturist Adel Alqallaf has been honored by the 36th International Exhibition of Caricature, Press and Humor Design 2017, recently held in the village of Saint Just le Martel, France.
He was the first caricaturist from Kuwait, and Gulf region to take part in a world's major event on the art.
Alqallaf was nominated by Sheikh Mubarak Al-Hamad Journalism Excellence Award, to take part in the festival, after he won its top caricature prize. The Award is generously sponsored by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.
The French caricature festival is an extremely popular event in the Limousin region, and over the days of the event thousands of visitors crowded the exhibition hall to see the large display of cartoons.
Interviewed by KUNA Friday, Alqallaf voiced happiness and pride of being the first Kuwaiti and Gulf caricaturist to participate in the 36th edition of the event, which included various cultural and artistic activities and seminars.
Children had a good share of the exhibition, which organized programs to teach them the art, he said.
Alqallaf noted that participants in the annual Salon reviewed the latest developments and books on the art of caricature.
The Kuwaiti leading caricaturist has benefited a lot from the praise, as well as the criticism to his work at the top world gathering of caricaturists.
One had the chance to meet with scores of artists and their fantastic work, he said.
Alqallaf did his best to highlight several issues on the Kuwaiti and Arab scenes through his expressive drawings, in addition to explaining the atmosphere of freedom and democracy at home.
During a discussion panel, he was asked to draw some caricatures for children, for instance, one for autism patients.
They will be sold and revenues will go to patient children, he said, expressing gratitude to Sheikh Mubarak Al-Hamad Journalism Excellence Award for offering him the opportunity to partake in the festival among the artists from magazines and papers around the globe.
Winner of the first prize of the French festival is awarded a traditional "cow", and actually receives an amount of money equal to the price of the animal.
People of the small French village host the participant cartoonists through the days of the festival.
Alqallaf is a communication engineer who embarked on a career in caricature in 1997, and has worked in many magazines and newspapers. He has been at Al-Seyassah since 2007.
He was a member in the caricature against corruption committee of the Kuwait Transparency Society in 2012, then deputy chief in 2013.
In 2006, he attended a workshop on freedom of speech organized by the UNESCO's regional office in Kuwait, and also took part in a program by the US State Department on political cartoons.
Alqallaf won the 2012 caricature prize of the Public Authority for Youth and Sport (PAYS), and came first in Sheikh Mubarak Al-Hamad Journalism Excellence Award 2016. (end) afh.ysa.msa