From our Permanent Collection: Illustrations by artist Michael Behnan based on Hans Magnus Enzensberger’s poem 'Foam'
Curated by LCVI Co-op student, Emily Strange
EXHIBITION STATEMENT
Behnan's work featured the people he knew in Gores Landing, Cobourg, Toronto, and from his trips to Guatemala. Michael painted ordinary people and members of his family. His work has been showcased in more than 20 one-person exhibits in Canada and South America. Michael worked in monoprints (ink on glass), acrylics, lino-prints, and watercolour.
Behnan created a series of prints based on a poem from Hans Magnus Enzensberger called 'Schaum' (Foam); the poem has received significant academic notoriety and fame, and is a commentary on how horrible human nature can become.
Please note: The poem foam contains coarse language, mention of suicide, mild sexual references, and content that may make certain readers uncomfortable. Reader discretion is advised.
ABOUT MICHAEL BEHNAN
(1947-1982)
Michael Behnan was born in January 1947 in Karachi, British India, what is now Pakistan, and grew up in Prescott, Ontario. Michael graduated from South Grenville District High School before going to the University of Toronto(UofT). During his time at UofT, Michael received an honours degree in Fine Art. His graphics have been in various newspapers and magazines like Canadian Forum and This Magazine and Sound. Michael was also a musician and an enthusiastic traveller.
His wife Lynda Lapeer started her painting journey in 1977 after she contracted a rare disease, which paralyzed her for over a year, during that time Michael encouraged her to paint as an outlet for therapeutic self-expression. Michael died September 22nd, 1982, at the age of 35 after he was hospitalized during an 18-month battle with cancer. Michael was buried near Rice Lake.
ABOUT HANS MAGNUS ENZENSBERGER
(1929-2022)
Hans Magnus Enzensberger, born on November 11, 1929, in Kaufbeuren, Germany, was a prolific poet, translator, critic, and editor. After earning his doctorate in 1955, he worked at Stuttgart Radio and was a member of Group 47. Debuting in 1957 with "Defence of the Wolves," Enzensberger authored over 70 books translated into 40 languages. His diverse works encompassed art, literature, culture, history, sociology, and ecology, earning him the Georg Büchner Prize in 1963 and various literary honors. Living in various countries, he founded his own publishing house by 1970.
Enzensberger's poetry, characterized by a sarcastic, ironic tone, often explored themes of civil unrest influenced by his wartime experiences. Notable pieces like "In Defense of the Wolves," "Braille," and "The Fury of Disappearance" showcased his versatility. Renowned for "Foam," he earned acclaim from Charles Simic as the "best German poet since the Second World War" for his wide subject range and polemical quality in lyrical, dramatic, and narrative works. Enzensberger passed away on November 24, 2022, in Munich at age 93.
