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.

SUMMER OF '67: NATIONAL FOOD CULTURE AT THE MONTREAL EXPO

A Muse Bouche | Jordan Fee

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Recently, I have been mildly obsessed with the 1967 World’s Fair in Montreal, commonly known as Expo ’67. My father has spoken to me many times about his experience there as an 11-year-old child from Ashton, Ontario (to this day only has about 200 residents). If you have ever seen footage of this incredible event, then you can probably understand how such a thing could change the life of a person coming from the smallest of towns.

Signage for Expo '67 (Source)

Two months ago, I began an internship at an art gallery, where my supervisor told me about his experience there as a kid, just a few years younger than my father. It was remarkable to hear the similarities between their accounts, and to obtain more details about Expo ’67. One thing that he mentioned specifically was the film “A Place To Stand”, which was shown at the Ontario Pavilion. I went home that night to watch it, and I found it to be stunningly beautiful. I then discovered the set of coins that Canadian artist Alex Colville had produced for the centennial celebration, deepening my interest in the visual culture of this historic moment. 

Alex Colville's nickel, made for the centennial celebration. Photo courtesy of Jordan Fee

So it seemed that with each passing day, I was learning something new about Expo ’67. Little did I know that the best was to come, as it was just two days ago that I saw an official Expo ’67 guide for the first time. It had apparently been stored in a basement for a number of decades, and it definitely showed some wear. However, aside from the cover pages, much of the book was in decent shape, and so I obtained a deeper glimpse into the rabbit hole. Of course, being someone interested in food, I turned straight to page 206, to the section titled “Restaurants”. 

The official Expo '67 guidebook. Photo courtesy of Jordan Fee

The introductory page for this section is expectedly cosmopolitan in tone, citing a number of cooking traditions, from the U.S.S.R to “La Belle France”. The grounds were constructed as a series of four sections - Cité de Havre, Ile Sainte-Hélène, Ile Notre-Dame and La Ronde – each of which provided a distinct visitor experience.

One could spend the day wining and dining in a number of different countries, from Austria to Norway, Germany, Trinidad and the Polynesian Islands. Astoundingly enough, each of these countries brought their food heritage to Montreal for visitors to consume. Even though some aspects of these dining experiences were quite stereotypical by today’s standards, it is apparent in this guidebook that the spirit of Expo '67 was one of hopeful optimism.

Strangely enough, some of the most intriguing aspects of food culture at Expo '67 were those which came from within the country. In the Canadian pavilion, one could find a restaurant called “La Toundra”, which was meant to be representative – in terms of food and décor – of life in Northern Canada. Two Inuit artists, Elijah Pudlat and Kumukuluk Saggiak, were invited to Expo '67 to paint a mural for the interior of this restaurant, depicting common activities in the north. Another restaurant, simply called “The Buffet” could also be found within the Canadian Pavilion, but it is ultimately La Toudra which offers the most interesting information about the perception of Canadian food culture at this time. Although much is known about the major world’s fairs – like London’s Great Exhibition of 1851 – an oft forgotten aspect of these events is the ways in which they shaped food culture for the participating nations.

The Canadian Pavillion (Source)

In the section of the guidebook that discusses restaurants, the reader is assured that the food consumed at Expo '67 would be uniquely representative of its country of origin. Authenticity was considered to be crucial, as it tends to be today amongst food lovers. However, there was evidently a strong sense of exoticism associated with trying these different delicacies, which selectively othered certain cooking traditions. 

The introductory page for the "Restaurant" section of the guidebook. Photo courtesy of Jordan Fee.

Rhona Richmond Kenneally, professor of design and computation arts at Concordia university, has written a fantastic analysis of the food culture at Expo '67, highlighting how national food culture was shaped through the design and structure of restaurants like La Toundra. Noting just how ambiguous the offerings were when it came to specialty dishes, Kenneally remarks that the distinctions made between Canadian, International and “Tundra” cuisines were extremely arbitrary in nature, and that the supposed origins of some of the dishes were simply wrong. One could find buffalo meat in the tundra section of the menu, but the grasses needed to sustain buffalo could not be found in such a region. Thus, the Canadian food identity established at Expo ’67 was in many ways unclear and problematic, using the flare of the exotic to promote Canada as a uniquely modern destination.

Therefore, like other world’s fairs, Expo ’67 still fell prey to the allure of nationalism, and colonialism as well. Although it seems that the festival was characterized by a sense of inclusion, it nevertheless revealed some issues at the heart of Canadian culture, namely: what does it mean to be Canadian, when this is in fact not our land? This is still a relevant question today, especially as we continue to learn more about the indigenous cultures that thrived here long before we did. 

Overview of the Canadian and Ontario Pavilions (Source)

Nevertheless, I must say that I am still very interested in what it must have been like to spend a day at this momentous event. I can only imagine what a hot summer day would have looked like there, in all of the fashion and fervour of the 1960’s. If you want to know more about what would have been happening there in the summer of '67, check out this CBC radio broadcast about some of the popular exhibits found there. It should be noted that this program aired on July 7th, 1967 - 52 years ago, almost to the day! I hope that some of you become just as interested in this piece of Canadian heritage as I am.

MAKING THE MUSEUM: AT THE MCCORD GIFT SHOP

Beyond Tradition | Elizabeth Cytko

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Today we are stepping out of Toronto to take a trip over to Montreal.

A sign outside of the museum advertises the shop.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko

The McCord Museum sits on the edge of McGill campus, in the bustling heart of the city. The vision of the museum is to promote Montreal's social history of the past and present.

A display case exhibits some of the local goods to be found inside.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko

The gift shop is located near the front entrance of the museum with attractive display cases which summons the eager visitor inside.

A small sampling of their book selection.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko

The overall layout of the store is compact. It is a well-lit space with shelves and tables full of goodies which draw the eye in all directions. The store is laid out by theme, with a section on Expo 67, another on local Montreal art, another on Canada books, and another on special and permanent exhibition themed items. It has a corner full of books about the history of Canada and Montreal. There is a diverse array of books suited to readers of all levels. I was heartened to see the graphic novel Louis Riel by Chester Brown included amongst them.

The tongue in cheek references to eternal construction is embraced in these local items.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko

Browsing the products, it was pleasant to see how local artists are included. It gives the shop a unique identity, where not only the museum’s collection is promoted, but the items act as a conduit for the living city. They are an entry point for the traveling tourist to get a taste of the talent and interests of the place. Local products include pencil cases, jewelry, art prints, and other items that have a local flavour.

This soap cheekily comments on Quebec language laws
which tried to outlaw the Montreal 'Bonjour Hi' greeting in shops.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko

I was impressed by the hand crafted products included. I got a kick out of the Mile End Soap by Saved by the Box, which had cleverly named soaps relating to current political issues.

A mixture of local places and the collection pieces viewed on various products.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko

A super cool aspect is that the online shop has something called “Design Your Own Product.” This is where you can browse the online collections of the museum and select which image you want on a mug, shirt, or print! Instead of hoping that your favourite photo will be on something, you can make your dream a reality. They also do online shopping, where they have their special exhibition items under a separate tab so you can find them immediately. The webshop only has a few of the products that are contained in the store so I recommend that you visit the physical shop.

Some items featuring the current special exhibition.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cytko

A major draw back of the shop was physical navigation. It was designed without accessibility in mind, which means persons who use accessibility devices may have issues navigating the space. When I talked to the staff member on duty, they told me that they are aware of this issue and that they are working to finding a solution to it. The museum works hard to reach out to all communities so the gift shop wants to be able to also accommodate them to have a full experience.

Overall the store was pleasant to browse, with pleasant helpful staff. The stock was diverse enough to cater to adults and children alike.

I rate the museum a 4/5 with a point removed for lack of accessibility.

My rating scale is included in this post.

ALLONS À MONTRÉAL: MUSEUM STUDIES FIELD TRIP

Weekend Edition  |  Laetitia Dandavino-Tardif

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Group photo in front of the Centre d'histoire de Montréal. Photo courtesy of Laetitia Dandavino-Tardif.

For the Fall Reading Week (November 5 to 8, 2018), the Museum Studies Student Association (MUSSA) organized a field trip to Montreal, Quebec. 37 students, along with Program Director Cara Krmpotich, had the opportunity to visit museums, meet with museum professionals, and explore the city. Here is a brief summary of our busy 4-day trip:

Day 1

After a long bus ride (while watching Night at the Museum), we went out for dinner in Old Montreal. It was lovely to be all together and get to mingle with fellow classmates. 

 

Day 2

Morning: Pointe-à-Callière

Starting the day bright and early, the first institution we visited was Pointe-à-Callière, an archaeological and historical museum. Following a guided tour, we met Hendrik Van Gijseghem, Anthropology and History Project Manager, who presented the challenges associated with preserving the archaeological site, Fort Ville-Marie. Then, Élisabeth Monast-Moreau, Exhibition Project Manager, discussed the challenges of museum expansions, and the strategies used to incorporate technology in exhibitions, such as LED lighting.

"Pointe-à-Callière was my favourite institution for the way it portrayed Montreal's history. The comparison to European archaeological sites and how this one differs was especially interesting."

- Amelia Smith, 1st year MMSt Student

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Afternoon: Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

On arrival at the museum, we were greeted by Anne Grace, Curator of Modern Art, Louise Giroux, Educational Programs Officer, and Thibault Zimmer, Education Projects Coordinator. Anne Grace gave us a curatorial tour of the temporary exhibition Alexander Calder: Radical Inventor. Louise Giroux and Thibault Zimmer showed us the educational department, talked about their health and well-being programs, and the launch of the MMFA online resource for teachers, EducArt.

Finally, we met with Director General and Chief Curator, Nathalie Bondil who shared with us her vision of the MMFA and her perception of the museum world. Her optimism about the future of museums was quite inspiring for all of us.

Day 3

Morning: McCord Museum

At the McCord Museum, Guislaine Lemay, Curator, Indigenous Cultures, presented about the history of the McCord Museum and walked us through the exhibition Wearing our Identity: The First Peoples Collection. Mélanie Deveault, Head, Education, Community Engagement and Cultural Programs, presented the museum's new educational mission. Accompanied by guides, we got a taste of the education program by participating in photography activities.

Lunch Break: Redpath Museum

Some students went to visit the Redpath Museum, a natural history museum, belonging to McGill University, to discover its collection of specimens and minerals.

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Afternoon: Centre d'histoire de Montréal

Returning to Old Montreal, we visited the Centre d'histoire de Montréal (CHM). Jean-François Leclerc, Director, presented the challenges associated with being located in a heritage building as well as the rebranding to the MEM (“Mémoire des Montréalais”) and moving downtown. Museum professional, Catherine Charlebois, gave a curatorial tour of the Explosion 67 - Youth and their World and its extensive use of technology.

"I really liked everyone we met at the Centre d'histoire de Montreal; they were incredibly invested in the community and the city and I'm excited to see what the new building will be like!"

- Toryn Suddaby, 2nd year, CPD student 

Evening: Emerging Museum Professionals Pub Night

The day was not over yet! Over 60 Museum Studies students from University of Toronto, Université of Montreal and Université du Québec à Montréal gathered together for a networking event. Check out a commemorative video of the vibrant pub night here.

Day 4

Morning: Montreal Holocaust Museum

The last museum we visited before hitting the road back to Toronto was the Montreal Holocaust Museum. After a guided tour, we met with Alice Herscovitch, Executive Director to discuss museum management. She emphasized the challenges related to the museum's sensitive subject matter of genocide. Finally, we were all moved by a survivor's testimony that contributed to our understanding of the events.

This trip was a great learning experience for all of us and valuable experience outside the classroom. We are very thankful for the generous welcome from the various museum professionals.

"The whole trip was definitely worthwhile, thank you very much for organizing it! I truly appreciated getting to know Montreal culture and museum professionals. I hope we can have many other joint programs in the future. All the museum tours were fascinating and  inspirational for our future projects. "  

- Selin Kahramanoglu , 2nd year CDP Student

To see more of our field trip, check out the photos here and follow us on Facebook,  Instagram and Twitter!

Laetitia Dandavino-Tardif
President, Museum Studies Student Association 2018-19