On June 7, Acting Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine Rostyslav Karandieiev, together with the Minister of Culture of Lithuania Simonas Kairys, visited one of the best in the world - the Center for the Restoration of Museum Values named after Pranas Gudynas of the Lithuanian National Art Museum.
The center is the main training base for restorers of movable art treasures in Lithuania, including paintings and tapestries. Master classes, seminars, and lectures related to the preservation and care of museum collections are held here.
The restorers at the Center have already researched and restored over 50 paintings and 1000 graphic works from Ukrainian museums, with another 600 works and at least two Ukrainian interns expected in the near future.
Additionally, the center will soon be restoring 100 paintings by Maria Prymachenko from the state part of the Museum Fund of Ukraine from the funds of the communal institution "Zaporizhzhia Regional Art Museum" of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Council. Currently, paintings from the Ukrainian Museum of Khanenko are undergoing restoration. Furthermore, Lithuanians are currently restoring a Ukrainian carpet from Mariupol.
Every year, employees of the Restoration Center attend international conferences, annual meetings and courses, and participate in internship and scholarship programs in Lithuania and abroad. At the same time, the Center shares all the secrets of craftsmanship with Ukrainian colleagues. Ukrainian museum workers and restorers constantly adopt the experience and technologies of the unique Lithuanian restoration center.
In Ukraine, Lithuanians collaborate with the center named after Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky and are currently awaiting restorers from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Previously, 9 employees of the National Preserve Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra underwent internships at the Restoration Center. They familiarized themselves with new methods of restoring works made of wood, metal, paper, and fabrics.
The Ministers of Culture of Lithuania and Ukraine also visited the Vilnius Holy Trinity Monastery, where repair works are currently underway.
