Passing Through

Leonard Cohen at CJM “Everybody Knows”

The Contemporary Jewish Museum (The CJM) presents four solo exhibitions of contemporary art inspired by the legacy of Leonard Cohen (1934–2016), the influential musician, man of letters, and global icon from Montreal, Canada.

The exhibitions, installed throughout all of The Museum’s main galleries, include a variety of artworks ranging from immersive and intimate to rarely-before-seen and personal reflections on the impact of Cohen’s work.

“Leonard Cohen is an iconic figure whose work has had a lasting impact on artists and the general population alike,” said Senior Curator Heidi Rabben. “His songs and poetry both reflect the time he was living in and continue to be meaningful today.”

At a recent press conference, Ms. Rabben also noted that this exhibition is “especially timely, as it represents a guide star to spiritual renewal” during our current pandemic.

Not that Cohen’s music was entirely without irony, however.

Here’s a lyric from “Everybody Knows” that ferry riders may appreciate:

Everybody knows that the boat is leaking
Everybody knows that the captain lied