Fine arts project paints pretty picture for Sweden, VN ties

The first ever fine arts exchange project between Sweden and Viet Nam was reaping rewards for both sides, said Bui Thanh Tam, who is in charge of foreign relations at the Ha Noi Fine Arts College.

“It’s not just Vietnamese students who have benefited from this first-time project. It’s also been a good chance for Western countries to learn about Vietnamese culture,” Tam said.
The four-year project, which will be wrapped up in 2009, is under the sponsorship of the Sweden International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). It also receives support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Swedish Embassy in Ha Noi. The project aims to boost cultural understanding, skills and ultimately diplomatic relations.
Under the plan, the Umea Fine Arts Academy in Sweden and the Ha Noi Fine Arts College swap countries for two terms per year. Each exchange is wrapped up with a series of conferences and exhibitions.
The Swedish academy sends students and lecturers in subjects lacking expertise in Viet Nam , such as communication art and theory. For their part, the Ha Noi based school sends lecturers who are well-experienced in traditional skills such as wood-engraving and lacquer.
Included in the line up so far is associate professor doctor Anna Radstrom, who arrived in the capital earlier this month. Radstrom presented a talk on women artists, and issue she has researched for many years.
“I was really impressed with Viet Nam’s fine arts museums, especially works by women artists,” she said.

Source: Vna