Since 2010, French art historian Sophie Richard has been researching art museums in Japan, visiting countless sites around the archipelago. Presenting her latest book, The art lover's guide to Japanese museums, Sophie will discuss her motivations and share insight on the rich, dynamic and multifaceted world of Japanese museums.
Writer, Art Historian
Born in Provence and educated at the Ecole du Louvre and the Sorbonne in Paris, Sophie Richard worked in the art world in New York before moving to London where she is now based. She has been travelling to Japan for the past 17 years. Passionate about Japanese arts and culture, she set out to explore the country's many museums. Her first book on the subject was published in 2014 and was subsequently translated into Japanese. Her second book The art lovers’ guide to Japanese museums was published in 2019 and will be available in Japanese next year. Her articles have appeared in magazines in the USA, the UK and Japan and she has been a contributor to Japanese television programs, her work being the basis for two recent television series on the country’s art museums. She has been lecturing in Europe and in Japan and she is currently producing a series of video interviews under the title Encounters with Japan. In 2015 her work was recognised by the Agency of Cultural Affairs in Japan and she received the Commissioner's Award.
