MONTREAL -- Of all the things Leonard Cohen was -- poet, novelist, singer, songwriter, Buddhist -- perhaps prophet should be added to the list.
"You're going to be happy with Stalin and the wall and your little hole in the ozone layer that you can't repair... These little things are going to sound like the golden age compared to what's coming down," he said in a 1993 interview with MTV News.
Cohen may well have been referring to life in COVID times.
This clip and many more are now available from the virtual exhibition Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything, a digital audio-visual presentation on the life and influence of Montreal's beloved musical icon, available on-line from the MAC (Musee d'Art Contemporain).
According to John Zeppetelli, director general and chief curator of the MAC, the virtual exhibition was a way to "extend the experience" of the most successful exhibit in the MAC's history, Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything.
The 2017 exhibit of Cohen's life and work has now been thematically linked with 50 other contemporary art pieces in the MAC. All of the art has been divided into one of four categories; poetic thought, spirituality and humility, love, and loss and longing. The categories are linked with poetry, interviews, live performances, songs and self-portraits from Cohen's life. Guests can log in and explore the site from the comfort of the pandemic-free zone of their choice. The experience is free of charge until February 2024.
Zeppetelli explained that the idea for the virtual exhibition began three years ago, well before pandemic times.
"It's a happy co-incidence," he says. "Digital content is what's most needed for cultural institutions."
Zeppetelli adds that the MAC is digitizing all of their archives and content for interactive experiences.
After being shut down during Quebec's most recent lockdown, the province's museums re-opened last week.
