About the Legacy Project
The Matthew Lau Legacy Project was created to preserve and share the visual artwork of Matthew Charles Lau (1958–2025)—opera singer, teacher, mentor, and lifelong artist. While widely celebrated for his career in opera and for guiding generations of music students, Matthew’s visual art remained largely private during his lifetime. Painting, textile work, and other visual practices were personal forms of exploration that he shared quietly with friends and family.
This website serves as a digital home for that work, inviting family, students, and new audiences to experience another dimension of Matthew’s creative life.
The Collection
The paintings presented on this site originate from Matthew’s personal studio collection. After his passing, the works were entrusted to former student Jack Strub—Simpson College, Lau Vocal Studio, Class of 2021—by Matthew’s longtime Simpson colleague and devoted friend Marilyn Mueller. The initial intention was to distribute the paintings among Matthew’s former students. However, when several pieces were briefly installed together, it became clear that the works formed a deeply interconnected body of art.
Rather than separating them, the decision was made to preserve the paintings as a unified archive now known as the Lau Studio Alumni Collection.
In collaboration with Matthew’s brother, David Lau, and Arts District Imageworks, the paintings in Minneapolis were professionally scanned to create the high-resolution digital archive you see here. This process ensures that Matthew’s artwork can be widely shared through museum-quality reproductions while preserving the integrity of the original collection and making prints of every piece available here.
Project Phases
The Matthew Lau Legacy Project has unfolded in several phases, each designed to preserve the collection while gradually sharing it with the wider community.
Phase I — Discovery and Preservation (Completed)
The project began when Lau’s family offered to let former students take landscape paintings found in Matthew’s studio following his funeral at Simpson College in October 2026. In the weeks that followed, after going through his estate, longtime friend Marilyn Mueller set aside additional pieces to be given to students. When this group of paintings was entrusted to alumnus Jack Strub and temporarily displayed together, it became clear that they formed a cohesive and meaningful collection that should remain united.
During this stage, Strub connected with Matthew’s family, and additional works were identified. Matthew’s brother, David Lau, helped provide context for the artwork and insight into Matthew’s visual practice. Several pieces were returned to Minneapolis to be professionally scanned. Through a partnership with Arts District Imageworks, high-resolution scans of the collection were created, forming the foundation of a digital archive.
Phase II — Documentation and Digital Archive (Nearly Complete)
The second phase focused on documenting the entire collection and making it accessible to a broader audience. Paintings located outside Minneapolis were photographed so they can be included in the archive, and professional reproductions are being created for works that cannot be scanned in person.
During this phase, the Matthew Lau Legacy Project website was created to present the collection, share Matthew’s story, and make museum-quality prints available. A fundraising campaign titled The Matthew Lau Art Collection, Display, and Preservation Fund was also developed to support custom framing for the entire collection and to help fund the first public exhibition.
Phase III — Opening Exhibition (Upcoming)
The next phase will culminate in the first public exhibition of the collection. Plans are currently underway for an opening night gallery event that will bring together Matthew’s friends, students, and artistic community.
The evening will include a curated presentation of the paintings alongside performances by alumni singers—honoring the two artistic worlds Matthew devoted his life to: music and visual art. The exhibition will be the first opportunity for the full collection to be experienced together in a gallery setting. More details to come.
Following the inaugural exhibition, the collection will be offered to organizations and institutions connected to Matthew’s life and career. Potential hosts may include arts organizations, educational institutions, and performance communities that played a role in Matthew’s artistic journey.
A traveling exhibition will allow the collection to reach the many communities Matthew influenced as a performer, teacher, and mentor.
Phase IV — Traveling Exhibition (Future)
Phase V — A Permanent Home (Long-Term Vision)
The final goal of the Legacy Project is to secure a permanent home for the collection. This may take the form of a museum archive, institutional collection, or a partnership among multiple organizations connected to Matthew’s life and work.
Wherever the collection ultimately resides, the goal is the same: to ensure that Matthew’s artwork remains preserved, accessible, and appreciated by future generations. Interested organized may reach out on our contact page.
