1. Tracking shot, from Japanese logo on PK shoulder onto excavation site
2. Med shot, Japanese officer watching the excavation work
3. Wide shot, bulldozer fork excavating rubble
4. Pan right, fork extracting rubble onto Japanese engineer driving bulldozer
5. Wide shot, damaged painting with rubble in the back
6. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Hiroki Ota, Japanese Peacekeeper:
”We coordinate with the owner of this museum. And we conduct our activities very carefully”
7. Pan left, Haitian worker carrying painting from the rubble
8. Med shot, Haitian worker placing saved paintings on a wall
9. Close up, famous painting by Ernst Luzor
10. Tilt up, details of painting “La Sirene” by Sephyrin
11. Med shot, several saved art pieces on the ground
12. Close up, famous painting “Les Villes Imaginaires” by Prefete Dufault
13. Pan right, paintings on the ground
14. SOUNDBITE (French) John Nader, Gallery Owner:
“We had between 12,000 and 15,000 paintings. And as you can see, not many of them could be saved. Those which could be recovered are in very bad shape.”
15. Pan left, Haitian workers on the rubble onto Japanese PK on the rubble
16. Wide shot, art pieces with Japanese PK in the back
17. Close up, Haitian workers sorting out paintings
18. Wide shot, Haitian worker storing paintings in container

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Storyline

When Port-au-Prince’s most prominent art museum collapsed during the 12 January earthquake, a major part of Haitian culture’s history was buried in the rubble.

With some 15,000 works, the Nader Art Museum had amassed one of the largest collections of Haitian native or primitive art.

As soon as the earthquake struck, the gallery staff began the difficult and dangerous job of extracting the most valuable works from the debris. Since Monday, a Japanese contingent of UN military engineers has joined their effort.

SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Hiroki Ota, Japanese Peacekeeper:
”We coordinate with the owner of this museum. And we conduct our activities very carefully.”

With the help of a mechanical digger, the peacekeepers are overseeing the work of laborers from local companies specialized in digging precious objects.

The rescued artworks are being placed in containers and shipped to New York for restoration. Some of the work will continue to be exhibited at another gallery in Port-au Prince’s residential neighborhood of Petionville.

SOUNDBITE (French) John Nader, Gallery Owner:
“We had between 12,000 and 15,000 paintings. And as you can see, not many of them could be saved. Those which could be recovered are in very bad shape.”

Some of the most notable work includes “Les Villes Imaginaires” by Prefete Dufault and paintings by Petion Savin by Ernst Luizor.