Murmrr Arts Foundation Debuts With Star-Studded Launch, Unveiling Commissioned Portrait Of Ms. Lauryn Hill By Tomokazu Matsuyama

On July 25, the newly formed Murmrr Arts Foundation officially launched its inaugural programming with an intimate, acoustic performance by Ms. Lauryn Hill at The Clubhouse in East Hampton. The sold-out event — which saw a high-profile audience including Jay-Z, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, daughter Blue Ivy, and Kelly Rowland — served as the backdrop for the unveiling of Murmrr Commission No. 001: an original portrait of Ms. Hill by internationally acclaimed artist Tomokazu Matsuyama.

By commissioning original works, the Foundation aims to create a “renewable cycle” where cultural assets are preserved, and proceeds are reinvested into future commissions, public education, and community engagement.

Matsuyama took the stage to open the concert with his work displayed for the first time to the public, saying, “The crescent moon, the sun, the peonies, I wanted to find a way to divine her image that we have within all of us. Ms. Lauryn Hill does not only represent one force, and I think truly we cannot define creativity with one genre, one definition, and one moment. The forest represents resilience, positivity, possibility, a community in unity, and independence. I like to represent all of us here, and to mention Murmrr Arts Foundation- this is the very first gig of bringing together visual arts, music, community, and I am extremely thankful to be involved.”

The concert, featuring a special appearance by Wyclef Jean for a set of Fugees classics, highlighted the Foundation’s commitment to multidisciplinary programming. Following the performance, Ms. Hill joined Matsuyama for a private viewing of the portrait, which will now become the cornerstone of the Foundation’s permanent collection.

“Our mission is to put masterpieces where life happens — school cafeterias, prisons, neighborhood diners, public libraries — to bring great art into the everyday,” said Brian Kelly, Founder and Executive Chair of the Murmrr Arts Foundation. As the Foundation moves forward, it will continue to pair significant artistic commissions with live cultural experiences.

A longtime admirer of Ms. Lauryn Hill, Tomokazu Matsuyama has spoken about being drawn to New York by the city’s creative energy and by artists such as The Fugees and Nas. Matsuyama noted, “Ms. Lauryn Hill’s voice gave language to a generation searching for itself, and to paint her is to trace the same lines of identity, memory, and reinvention that have always moved through my own work.”

Matsuyama creates richly layered works that merge Japanese and Western art historical traditions with fashion, graphic design, street culture, and contemporary portraiture. His paintings have become internationally celebrated for collapsing cultural boundaries while reflecting the complexity of an interconnected world.