Necker Island, British Virgin Islands – November 18, 2013 – Labeled the “most exclusive Pro-Am Tennis event in the World,” this year’s Necker Cup brought a host of celebrities and athletes alike to Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island in The British Virgin Islands for a fun filled weekend of tennis, charity, music, and a lot of rum. Always a highlight of the event, the Charity Exhibition featured a live auction of ten prints by Brooklyn based painter Brendan Murphy. Signed by Rafa Nadal and Brendan Murphy, the 24 x 36 inch prints on canvas fused the energy of art and tennis, as Murphy captured Nadal’s signature swing in his personal brand of contemporary portraiture. The prints alone raised $35,000, with all proceeds going to the Rafa Nadal Foundation – providing educational and athletic programs to underprivileged youths in India and Spain. Attendees such as Rafa Nadal, Mike Bryan, Ana Ivanovic, Boris Becker, Outback founder Tim Gannon, and Google CEO Larry Page, closed out the evening with a private island concert by Jimmy Buffet.
Brendan Murphy’s work can be seen at 483 Gallery at 483 Driggs Ave in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.