HA NOI — A group of Japanese fine-arts specialists has agreed to continue preserving and restoring Vietnamese silk paintings, especially those of late painter Nguyen Phan Chanh (1892-1984). The agreement was signed with the Viet Nam Museum of Fine Arts yesterday.

The specialists will help restore the damaged art and exhibit it in Japan. With their own fund, they will pay to equip the Museum of Fine Arts with devices to keep the restored paintings in good condition.

At a meeting yesterday with Vietnamese fine-arts specialists and Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho Anh Tuan, two sides discussed the bad situation of silk paintings and the project of restoring Chanh's works in Japan.

The director of the project, Nakamura Tsutomu, said he had a special love for artworks by Chanh, one of Viet Nam's foremost silk artists.

"Chanh's and other silk paintings have become damaged due to the weather and other conditions," he said. "We're anxious because they are not only valuable for the country's fine arts, but they are also a treasure belonging to humanity."

Since 2009, a group of Japanese who love Chanh's paintings, including Tsutomu, professor of fine arts Ushiro Shoji, and Kikuko Iwai, who has restored works by Picasso and Monet, volunteered to bring three paintings from Chanh's family to Japan to restore and exhibit.

The exhibition in Tokyo received great attention from Japanese art lovers and art specialists.

The group now feels confident about helping Viet Nam restore more damaged silk paintings. Vice Minister Tuan expressed his gratitude for their contribution to saving Vietnamese fine arts.

However Iwai said she was afraid the paintings would deteriorate again if kept in poor condition.

"We're willing to help you with material facilities and training young painters to restore paintings." — VNS