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Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything

Apr. 12 – Sep. 8, 2019

Featuring 14 artists and 18 musicians from 10 countries, this exhibition offers a deep and rich exploration of the beloved global icon through the lens of contemporary art.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.
—Leonard Cohen

A world-renowned novelist, poet, and singer/songwriter who inspired generations of writers, musicians, and artists, Leonard Cohen (1934-2016) was an extraordinary poet of the imperfection of the human condition, giving voice to what it means to be fully alert to the complexities and desires of both body and soul. For decades, he tenaciously supplied the world with melancholy and urgent observations on the state of the human heart, in songs such as “Suzanne,” “Bird on a Wire,” and “Hallelujah.” With equal parts gravitas and grace, Cohen teased out a startlingly inventive and singular language, depicting both an exalted spirituality and an earthly sexuality. His interweaving of the sacred and the profane, of mystery and accessibility, was such a compelling combination it became seared into memory.

Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything is the first exhibition entirely devoted to the imagination and legacy of the influential singer/songwriter, man of letters, and global icon from Montréal, Canada. The exhibition includes commissioned works by a range of international artists who have been inspired by Cohen’s style and recurring themes in his work, a video projection showcasing Cohen’s own drawings, and an innovative multimedia gallery where visitors can hear covers of Cohen’s songs by musicians such as Lou Doillon; Feist; Moby; and The National with Sufjan Stevens, Ragnar Kjartansson, and Richard Reed Parry, among others.

Participating Artists:

Kara Blake
Candice Breitz
Janet Cardiff & George Bures Miller
Christophe Chassol
Daily Tous Les Jours
Tacita Dean
Kota Ezawa
George Fok
Ari Folman
Jon Rafman
Taryn Simon

#LeonardCohen

 

In the Press
“Taken together, the layered work on display in “A Crack in Everything” has a lot to offer on Cohen, but even more to say about how we respond to music, bring it into our lives, and use it as both a balm and an agent for transformation.”
— The New York Times

“…a beautiful blending of the old and the new.”
— WNYC

“…an unusual and deeply moving experience.”
— amNew York

Organized by the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC), the exhibition is curated by John Zeppetelli, Director and Chief Curator at the MAC, and Victor Shiffman, Co-Curator. The New York presentation is coordinated for the Jewish Museum by Kelly Taxter, Barnett and Annalee Newman Curator of Contemporary Art, and Ruth Beesch, Senior Deputy Director, Programs & Strategic Initiatives. The exhibition is designed by New Affiliates LLC (Jaffer Kolb, Ivi Diamantopoulou). Acoustic consulting by ARUP. Exhibition graphics designed by Topos Graphics.

Following its New York showing, the exhibition will tour to Kunstforeningen GL STRAND and Nikolaj Kunsthal, Copenhagen, Denmark (October 23, 2019 – April 13, 2020) and the Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco (September 17, 2020 – January 24, 2021).

The presentation of Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything at the Jewish Museum is made possible by Audrey and Zygi Wilf, Jane and Mark Wilf, the Blavatnik Family Foundation, The Goldie and David Blanksteen Foundation, The TD Charitable Foundation, The Jaharis Family Foundation, Inc., Jane and Reuben Leibowitz, Nili Lotan, Rita and Charles Bronfman, Wendy Fisher, Goldman Sonnenfeldt Foundation, Brice and Helen Marden, Wexler Dermatology PC, and other generous donors.

Additional support is provided through The Skirball Fund for American Jewish Life Exhibitions, the Melva Bucksbaum Fund for Contemporary Art, and the Joan Rosenbaum Exhibition Endowment.

The Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC), a state corporation funded by the Gouvernement du Québec, thanks Leonard Cohen for his support of this exhibition. Robert Kory, Adam Cohen, and Lorca Cohen provided invaluable assistance in the successful organization of this project.

The MAC also acknowledges the support of CBC/Radio-Canada and the National Film Board of Canada, as well as Sony Music and Sony ATV. For the exhibition’s presentation in New York, the MAC extends its thanks to the ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Foundation Azrieli.

Black-and-white photo of a man sitting in a train seat, holding an open book and looking pensively toward the camera, with blurred scenery visible through the window behind him.

Leonard Cohen. Courtesy of Old Ideas, LLC

Exhibition highlights

  • Stylized image of a man in a long black coat standing on a beach, with a fragmented silhouette effect and a bold yellow overlay.

    Leonard Cohen, Trouville 1988, taken from a photograph by Claude Gassian.

  • Immersive video installation with multiple large screens displaying close-ups and performances of Leonard Cohen, surrounded by seated viewers on bean bags in a darkened room.

    George Fok, Passing Through, 2017. Multi-channel video installation, black and white and colour, sound, 56 min 15 s, looped. Projection on three walls, dimensions variable. Commissioned by the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal. Installation view of the exhibition Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything. The Jewish Museum, New York. April 12 - September 8, 2019. Photo: Frederick Charles

  • Video installation featuring a projection of a male vocal ensemble performing in front of red stage curtains, with a leather bench positioned for viewers in a darkened gallery space.

    Candice Breitz, I’m Your Man (A Portrait of Leonard Cohen), 2017. Shot at the Phi Centre, Montreal, May-June 2017. Nineteen-channel video installation, colour with sound, 40 min., 43 sec., featured on eighteen suspended monitors and one single-screen projection. Collection of the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC). Installation detail (partial view) of the exhibition Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything presented at the MAC, 2017-2018. Photo: Guy L’Heureux

  • Immersive sound installation with visitors seated on illuminated wooden benches, each holding a microphone, surrounded by suspended speakers in a dimly lit gallery space.

    Daily tous les jours, I Heard There Was A Secret Chord, 2017. Participatory audio installation, octagonal architectural environment, including microphones, speakers, transducers, and digital display. Produced by the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. Installation view of the exhibition Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything. The Jewish Museum, New York. April 12 - September 8, 2019. Photo: Frederick Charles

  • Black-and-white video installation in a dark gallery showing a young man reading from a book, projected on a screen with seating cushions in the foreground.

    Christophe Chassol, Cuba in Cohen, 2017. Single-screen video installation, black-and-white with sound, 15 min., 19 sec., including annotated musical scores in a display cabinet. Installation view of the exhibition Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything. The Jewish Museum, New York. April 12 - September 8, 2019. Photo: Frederick Charles

  • A small bird perched on a diagonal power line against a clear blue sky.

    Tacita Dean, Ear on a Worm, 2017 (film still). 16-mm color film with optical sound, 3 min., 33 sec. Courtesy of the artist; Marian Goodman Gallery, New York and Paris; and Frith Street Gallery, London

  • Futuristic city alley glowing with warm orange and cool blue lights, surrounded by towering buildings and crisscrossed by cables.

    Jon Rafman, Legendary Reality, 2017 (still). Video projection, colour with stereo sound, 15min45s, including a sculptural set of theatre seats. Courtesy of the artist; Sprueth Magers, Los Angeles; and Galerie Antoine Ertaskiran, Montreal

  • Stylized grayscale illustration of a man in a suit holding a book, standing on stage in front of closed curtains with a microphone lying on the floor.

    Kota Ezawa, Cohen 21, 2017 (still). Digital animation, black-and-white with sound, 2 min., 30 sec. Collection of the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal. Courtesy of the artist

  • Man lying on a dark bench in a dimly lit room with symbols and a projection of himself illuminated on the ceiling and walls.

    Ari Folman, Depression Chamber, 2017. Interactive computer-animated video installation, live camera, Kinect sensor, black-and-white and colour with sound, 5 min., 10 sec., including resting platform. Exhibition view of Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything presented at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, 2017-2018. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Guy L’Heureux

  • Wooden chair and organ surrounded by vintage speakers and gramophones arranged on an ornate rug within a classical architectural frame.

    Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller, The Poetry Machine, 2017. Interactive audio/mixed-media installation including organ, speakers, carpet, computer and electronics. All poetry written and performed by Leonard Cohen from Book of Longing, published in 2006 by McClelland & Stewart. Installation view of the exhibition Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything. The Jewish Museum, New York. April 12 - September 8, 2019. Photo: Frederick Charles

  • Person seated on a bench viewing a projection of a line-drawn portrait with the handwritten text “Falling in love with you” in a dimly lit gallery.

    Self-Portraits, 2003-2016, 2017. Projection of two hundred and twenty drawings documenting Leonard Cohen’s self-portraits. Produced by the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC). Installation view of the exhibition Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything. The Jewish Museum, New York. April 12 - September 8, 2019. Photo: Frederick Charles

  • Visitors seated on beanbags watch a panoramic projection of Leonard Cohen writing in a notebook, surrounded by handwritten notes.

    Kara Blake, The Offerings, 2017. Five-channel video installation, black-and-white and colour with sound, 35 min. Installation view of the exhibition Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything. The Jewish Museum, New York. April 12 - September 8, 2019. Photo: Frederick Charles

  • Museum entrance with ornate white columns and two large photographic posters of Leonard Cohen, one in black and white and one in yellow tones.

    Installation view of the exhibition Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything. The Jewish Museum, New York. April 12 - September 8, 2019. Photo: Frederick Charles

  • Hallway of a Leonard Cohen exhibition featuring a large black-and-white photo of Cohen reading on a train, adjacent to explanatory wall text and projected visuals.

    Installation view of the exhibition Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything. The Jewish Museum, New York. April 12 - September 8, 2019. Photo: Frederick Charles

  • Immersive purple-lit room with abstract geometric projections on three walls, where visitors sit on bean bags watching the installation.

    Installation view of the exhibition Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything. The Jewish Museum, New York. April 12 - September 8, 2019. Photo: Frederick Charles

  • Exhibition entrance with ornate architectural details, a chandelier, and a wall featuring the name “Leonard Cohen” in bold yellow text alongside a list of exhibition sections.

    Installation view of the exhibition Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything. The Jewish Museum, New York. April 12 - September 8, 2019. Photo: Frederick Charles