Programs in Conjunction with Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything at the Jewish Museum

New York, NY, May 9, 2019 - In conjunction with the exhibition Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything, the Jewish Museum will present a series of public programs including an authors roundtable; a participatory performance with Choir!Choir!Choir!; cantors performing covers of Cohen songs;  performances by Meredith Monk and The Young People’s Chorus of New York City, both presented by Bang on a Can; and adult studio workshops.

Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything is a contemporary art exhibition devoted to the imagination and legacy of the influential singer/songwriter, man of letters, and global icon. 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.

Further program and ticket information is available by calling 212.423.3337 or online at TheJewishMuseum.org/calendar. Programs are at the Jewish Museum, Fifth Avenue and 92nd Street, Manhattan.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

Performance by Meredith Monk
Presented with Bang on a Can
Thursday, May 23, 8 pm
Tickets: $20 General; $16 Students and Seniors; $12 Members
Renowned composer/performer Meredith Monk, recipient of a 2015 National Medal of the Arts, offers a rare, intimate concert — her premiere at the Jewish Museum — with members of her Vocal Ensemble, Katie Geissinger and Allison Sniffin. The concert reflects Monk's six decades of innovation and vocal mastery and is presented in conjunction with the exhibition Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything.

I’m Your Man: Authors Roundtable
Thursday, June 13, 6:30 pm
Tickets: $18 General; $15 Students and Seniors; $12 members
A conversation with authors Sylvie Simmons (I'm Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen); Alan Light (The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of "Hallelujah"); and Chantal Ringuet (Les révolutions de Leonard Cohen); as well as music producer John Lissauer.

Choir! Choir! Choir! Presents Hallelujah
Wednesday, June 19, 7:30 pm – Leonard Cohen exhibition open from 6 pm to 7:30 pm
Tickets: $5 General; Free for members
Toronto-based musical duo Daveed Goldman and Nobu Adilman (AKA “DaBu”) started Choir! Choir! Choir! as a weekly drop-in singing event in February 2011. Their events are equal parts singing, comedy, and community-building. Over the course of 90-minutes, the duo will teach attendees an original 3-part choral arrangement of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”

Who Shall I Say Is Calling? A Night of Covers
Thursday, June 20, 8 pm
Tickets: $24 General; $16 Students and Seniors; $12 members
From studying kabbalah to infusing his songs with lyrics that incorporate Hebrew prayers or reference liturgical themes, Leonard Cohen demonstrated a profound connection to his Jewish identity. This program features Cantor Azi Schwartz, Park Avenue Synagogue; Cantor Gideon Zelermyer, Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, Québec; and Cantor Basya Schechter, Romemu synagogue, performing covers of Cohen songs that reflect the artist’s deep engagement with spirituality and his Jewish heritage.

Adult Studio Workshop: Poetic Portraits
Sunday, June 23, 1 – 5pm
Course Fee: $75 General; $60 Jewish Museum Members; all materials included, all skill levels welcome
Participants explore Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything before creating self-portraits inspired by Cohen’s artwork, combining figuration and poetry.

Performance by Young People’s Chorus of New York City
Presented with Bang on a Can
The William Petschek Family Music Program
Thursday, July 11, 7:30 pm
Tickets: $20 General; $16 Students and Seniors; $12 Members
The Young People’s Chorus of New York City, directed by Francisco J. Nunez, performs a selection of songs by Leonard Cohen and others. The frequent collaborators of Bang on a Can have been recognized as one of the leading and most diverse children’s choirs. They have forged a unique presence in the music community for their innovative vocal arrangements that consistently cross all musical borders and for championing new works by leading composers.

Adult Studio Workshop: Zen Approaches to Creative Mindfulness with Ink and Brush
Sunday, July 28, 1 – 5pm
Course Fee: $75 General; $60 Jewish Museum Members; all materials included, all skill levels welcome
This afternoon workshop, led by artist Timothy Hull and inspired by Leonard Cohen’s interest in Zen Buddhism, explores ink and calligraphy drawing through mindful observation. Participants will learn various ink and brush techniques,  visit Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything, and then work together on a large drawing that reflects an awareness of mind, body, and nature.

Support
The presentation of Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything at the Jewish Museum is made possible by the Wilf Family Foundations, 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, 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.

Public programs are made possible by endowment support from the William Petschek Family, the Trustees of the Salo W. and Jeannette M. Baron Foundation, Barbara and Benjamin Zucker, the late William W. Hallo, the late Susanne Hallo Kalem, the late Ruth Hallo Landman, the Marshall M. Weinberg Fund, with additional support from Marshall M. Weinberg, the Rita J. and Stanley H. Kaplan Family Foundation, Inc., the Saul and Harriet M. Rothkopf Family Foundation, and Ellen Liman. Additional support is provided from Dr. Kathryn T. Farley and Dr. Richard J. Lipton and through public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

The Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) wishes to thank Leonard Cohen for his support of the exhibition. Robert Kory, Adam Cohen, and Lorca Cohen, provided invaluable assistance in the successful organization of this project.

The MAC also thanks CBC/Radio-Canada and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), as well as Sony Music and Sony ATV.

The MAC extends its thanks to The Azrieli Foundation/La Fondation Azrieli and its donors for their generous support. The exhibition's presentation in New York obtained additional funding from the ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec, for which the MAC is grateful.

The MAC is a state corporation funded by the Gouvernement du Québec. It receives additional funding from the Government of Canada and the Canada Council for the Arts.

About the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal
The Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal makes today’s art a vital part of Montréal and Québec life. For more than fifty years, this vibrant museum has brought together local and international artists, their works and an ever-growing public. It is a place of discovery, offering visitors experiences that are continually changing and new, and often unexpected and stirring. The Musée presents temporary exhibitions devoted to outstanding and relevant current artists who provide their own, particular insight into our society, as well as exhibitions of works drawn from the museum’s extensive collection. Every form of expression may be featured: digital and sound works, installations, paintings, sculptures, ephemeral pieces, and more. In addition to its wide range of educational activities familiarizing the general public with contemporary art, the Musée also organizes unique artistic performances and festive events. It is a window onto a myriad of avant-garde expressions that increase the exposure and awareness of art throughout the city and beyond. macm.org/en/