Ghent University is honouring Canadian singer Leonard Cohen with an international academic conference and an exhibition. The Canadian was known to the general public as a singer, but he was also a writer and illustrator. Ten years after his death, international experts are examining his legacy. “It goes far beyond ‘Suzanne’ and ‘Hallelujah’.”
Ghent University honours Leonard Cohen with an international conference and a free exhibition
Colin Clapson
Published:
Leonard Cohen and Ghent share a special bond. Just a stone’s throw from the university library, the Boekentoren or the Books’ Tower, on St-Peter’s Square, the world-famous singer performed a series of sold-out concerts in 2010 and 2012. During those performances, Cohen expressed his love for Ghent on several occasions. He passed away 10 years ago.
Ghent University, in collaboration with two Canadian universities, is organising a conference on Cohen’s work. This is the first time such an event has taken place in the Low Countries. “Cohen is more than just the music most people know. He began as a poet and writer. He is a major figure in Canadian literature,” explains Professor Francis Mus. He is examining his legacy alongside 50 colleagues.
This is an interdisciplinary conference bringing together literary scholars, music experts, as well as researchers specialising in religious studies and translation. The participants come from both North America and Europe. “We want to explore what remains of his work and what significance it still holds.”
“Early versions of well-known songs”
Mus wanted more than just academic attention for the artist Cohen. There is also a unique, free exhibition at the Boekentoren featuring documents from the Canadian’s personal archive. “He kept a record of absolutely everything; it’s an incredibly rich collection. Here, you get to know him in all his facets,” says Mus.
The exhibition features photographs, fan letters, books and also graphic work by Cohen. The unused cover illustrations for his poetry collection “Flowers for Hitler” are on display. “Cohen was very provocative in that collection. He dared to hold up a mirror to society: this is what you’re all doing to one another. His later novels are regarded as key works in Canadian literature.”
The display cases also show how Cohen worked as a singer and musician. There are early drafts of songs that went on to become iconic. “We’re displaying the lyrics to ‘Chelsea Hotel’, which were scribbled on napkins. The general public is familiar with the song ‘Chelsea Hotel #2’, but there was actually another original version.”
“Cohen may not have been the most groundbreaking artist of his time – unlike Bob Dylan, for example – but his poetic tone continues to strike a chord with me. He used it to tackle social issues. He didn’t shy away from taboos. This is evident in the exhibition; there are several examples of censorship in his work,” says Mus.
“He had a distinctive, fundamentally human tone. He showed understanding yet was by no means naïve. It is precisely in this way that he remains relevant to me.” Mus is also organising a tribute concert featuring Cohen’s music at the Handelsbeurs on 7 October. That performance is sold out.
The conference is a collaboration between Ghent University and Acadia University and Memorial University in Canada. The free exhibition ‘The Mountain and the Volcano’ in the Boekentoren features documents from the Cohen Archive at the University of Toronto and is open daily from 6 to 8 October.