From right to left sculptor Tạ Quang Bạo; Nguyễn Huy Hoàng; Lunet Phan; Trần Tuấn Long and Phạm Văn Nghĩa at the launching ceremony. Photo courtesy of Lunet Art

HÀ NỘI The Lunet Art Development and Sponsorship Centre, a non-profit social organisation, was officially launched on Tuesday with the aim to promote art development and preserve the cultural characteristics of Việt Nam.

"We will use all the profits to invest in art development instead of distributing to the centre’s founders and executives," the centre's art director Luneta Phan said at the launching ceremony in Hà Nội. 

The centre will take part in two main activities of annual awarding and honouring artists. The annual award entitled Bright Moon Fine Arts Talent will support artistic talents. 

It will honour veteran artists for their lifetime contribution to Vietnamese fine art. 

The centre last year held  successfully two exhibitions about lacquer painting and sculpture. 

The lacquer exhibition displayed nearly 40 lacquer paintings by four artists Trịnh Huy Hoàng, Nguyễn Quốc Huy, Trịnh Quốc Chiến and Trần Tuấn Long who are ASEAN award-winners. 

The sculpture exhibition presented works by master Tạ Quang Bạo. He won the Hồ Chí Minh Prize and the State Award for literature and arts. His monuments can be found in 20 provinces and cities around the country. 

At the launch ceremony, Bạo was one of four artists including Nguyễn Huy Hoàng; Phạm Văn Nghĩa and Trần Tuấn Long presenting their works to the centre. 

"The centre is a good sign for Vietnamese art development," said Lương Xuân Đoàn, chairman of the Việt Nam Fine Arts' Association at the ceremony. 

"This is a great effort by the centre’s founders. I think it is very tough to run the centre because it doesn’t just introduce new artworks and artists, but it also designs a development strategy," said Đoàn. 

Đoàn also promises that his association will co-operate with the centre for Vietnamese development. 

The centre will host four exhibitions in March, May, August and December of this year. — VNS