Sam Thorne Appointed Director General of Japan House London

Sam Thorne, who has served as the director of Nottingham Contemporary for the past six years, has been appointed as the director general and CEO of Japan House London. He takes over from the founding director, Mike Houlihan, at the cultural institution that was established in 2018 on Kensington High Street as part of a soft power initiative by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Japan House also has locations in Los Angeles and São Paulo. While at Nottingham Contemporary, Thorne curated solo exhibitions featuring artists such as Meriem Bennani and Denzil Forrester, along with thematic group shows like the forthcoming Hollow Earth. His previous roles include artistic director at Tate St Ives and associate editor for Frieze magazine. Thorne's deep connection with Japan began in childhood, and he has since collaborated with various Japanese artists and curated an exhibition on Japanese and British studio pottery at Tate. He views Japan House London as a vital space for promoting cultural exchange and dialogue across nations.