Director and video artist Kenzo Hakuta ’98 (Kenzo Digital) created and directed a video for Beyoncé and the United Nations, released Sunday, August 19, to launch United Nations World Humanitarian Day, featuring Beyoncé’s ballad, "I Was Here."

Beyoncé and the UN joined forces with humanitarian aid organizations to launch the initiative, "a global day to celebrate humanity and the spirit of people helping people." On that day, more than one billion people visited the “I Was Here” website to share their messages of hope. (http://www.whd-iwashere.org)

Kenzo, who is based in New York, has had a string of successful viral video art projects that have gained him recognition, among them “City of God’s Son,” “Vote Obama,” and “Super Ultra Karatay.” Most recently he worked with Beyoncé to create her 2011 Billboard performance, and with Kanye West for his video art concert series.

Kenzo is the video director of video artist Nam June Paik’s studio (the father of video art), and has done video art installations for him at the Guggenheim, Tate Museum, and National Gallery of Art. Kenzo’s parents, Ken and Marylou Hakuta, arranged for one of Paik’s sculptures, “Untitled Robot,” to be given to Sidwell Friends last year as a gift in honor of retired LS principal Rich Lodish. The sculpture is on display in the Rubenstein Art Gallery.