Beyond what Everybody Knows

After much anticipation, Leonard Cohen: Everybody Knows opened last week at the AGO, inviting visitors to come and experience the artist’s multi-faceted creative force. Though best known for his legendary music catalogue, Cohen was an enigmatic figure whose journey was full of unique interests and endeavours. The exhibition explores the depths of his complexity through photographs, artworks, notebooks, video, poetry and prose. 

In the spirit of Everybody Knows, below we’ve compiled a short list of facts you may not know about the iconic Canadian artist – from shoe size to self portraits. 

He was an enthusiast of religions and spirituality 

Although Cohen was born into the Jewish faith and continued to practice Judaism for the remainder of his life, he developed a keen interest in a number of religions. Over the years, he immersed himself in Buddhism, Catholicism and even Scientology. The I Ching, an ancient Chinese manual of divination, resonated with him deeply and became a major source of inspiration.    

The Governor General of Canada awarded him – twice    

Though many are unaware, Cohen’s first claim to fame was not music. His original passion was the written word, leading an acclaimed career as a poet and author in the 1960s. After writing several novels and books of poetry, he was granted the prestigious Governor General’s Literary Award for poetry or drama in 1968. The then 34-year-old Cohen rejected the award, stating sarcastically that he had consulted his poems, and they told him to turn it down. Ironically, he would later accept the Order of Canada as a world-renowned musician in 2003.     

He wore a men’s size five shoe    

Though he stood five feet seven inches tall, surprisingly Cohen only wore a men’s size five shoe – small feet, big impact.  

He had a fascination with militarism   

Growing up as the son of a WW1 veteran, Cohen’s fascination with militarism began at home. As an adult, he collected a variety of rifles and pistols – which he strictly used for target shooting, and never hunting. In 1961 – during the Bay of Pigs Invasion – he spent time in Cuba observing military life in a revolutionary political climate. While living in Nashville, Cohen developed an admiration for cowboy culture, and the interesting role of firearms within it. 

He started an epic self-portrait project in 2003 

In early 2003, Cohen set a goal of creating daily self-portraits while in front of the mirror. Using a digital tablet, which allowed for rapid expressionistic drawing and frequent edits, he would attempt to capture the mood of each day. After reviewing the finished work, as a final touch he would annotate the drawing with a phrase or sentence that reflected the emotion being portrayed. The project lasted roughly two years. 

He played a 380-show tour – in his seventies

In 2007, a 73-year-old Cohen hit the road with his full band – including three backup singers, two guitarists, a drummer, keyboard player, bassist and saxophonist – embarking on a massive global tour. Beginning in Halifax and ending in Auckland, New Zealand five years later, the tour packed 380 arenas, and satisfied adoring fans by the hundreds of thousands. 

Leonard Cohen: Everybody Knows is on view now at the AGO on Level 2. Stay tuned to AGOinsider for more stories exploring his monumental life and career.