LEONARD COHEN: THE MAN WHO RAISED HIS VOICE THROUGH SONGS

 Walk of Fame | Annabelle Kolomeisky

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When you think of Canada’s most well-known artists throughout history, the name Leonard Cohen often comes to mind. It is hard to ignore the impact Cohen left on not only the music industry with masterpieces such as “Suzanne” and “Hallelujah”, but also the influential words and poems he wrote that resonated with a generation that was forced to face tragedies of violence and war. 

Profile image of Leonard Cohen | Source

Leonard Norman Cohen, born in September of 1934 in Westmount, Quebec, demonstrated his talents for music and poetry as a child, learning how to play the guitar at the age of 15 which continued throughout his music career. As a young adult, Cohen attended McGill University where he became further immersed in the poetry scene, impacted by the teaching of Louis Dudek, Hugh MacLennan, and his friend and mentor, Irving Layton.

Leonard Cohen was not afraid to engage with difficult issues and concepts through his music such as war and peace (There Is a War), his battle with depression (Darkness), and the need for change (Democracy). In addition to his music career, Cohen had a fairly extensive literary career, publishing two novels, The Favorite Game and Beautiful Losers, as well as several collections of his poetry.

Aside from his moving work as an artist, Leonard Cohen was a very proud and active member of the Jewish community. His strong connection to his Jewish identity was heavily influenced by his family’s role in the Jewish community. Cohen’s grandfather, Lyon Cohen was a very important and influential person among Montreal’s Jewish community. Lyon Cohen was one of the founders of The Jewish Times, the first English Jewish newspaper in Canada, and was the first President of the Canadian Jewish Congress. 

Leonard Cohen singing at a concert | Source

Following in his family’s footsteps, Leonard Cohen often incorporated aspects of his Jewish identity into his work. He took inspiration from all aspects of Jewish life and history, from the prayers told on Yom Kippur in “Who by Fire”, as well as the series of poems and songs reflecting on the impact of the Holocaust on the Jewish people.

In 2017, as a part of Montreal’s 375th anniversary, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MACM) displayed the exhibition Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything in collaboration with the Jewish Museum in New York. The exhibition presented the impact Cohen’s lyrics and art has on artists both locally and internationally, commemorating Leonard Cohen’s achievements.

Silo #5 illuminated with Leonard Cohen’s lyrics as a part of the Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything exhibition | Source

As part of the exhibition, there were various performances that took place in the gallery, around Montreal, and even online. There was a choreographed piece titled When Even The by Clara Furey inspired by Cohen’s poem of the same name, as well as a series of light projections by Jenny Holzer on Silo #5, an iconic building in Montreal, displaying the lyrics from Cohen’s songs as well as phrases from his poetry. There were also concerts inspired by Cohen’s most iconic albums and an emotional auditory experience called I Heard There Was a Secret Chord that was a room in the exhibition as well as a web experience you could visit here. 

Despite the overall exhibition not discussing Cohen’s history and career as an artist, the exhibition paints a very beautiful image of Cohen’s lasting impact on the world through his touching music and thought-provoking words. Leonard Cohen's work inspired many and spoke on difficult subjects that resonated with many generations in the past and those to come. The works of Leonard Cohen are timeless and will continue to be shared and cherished. 

If you would like to learn more about Leonard Cohen or listen to more of his music, you can visit Leonard Cohen’s official website, check out his Spotify page, or read his profile on the Canadian Encyclopedia.