Leonard Cohen at his home in Los Angeles on Google Maps
Thanks to Street View, note integrated function on Google Mapsusers can explore various reference points around the world and virtually visit streets and places through panoramic views created with data acquisition equipment. The platform not only allows you to “visit” environments in the present, but also collects an archive that allows you to explore places in the past. By setting Street View in 2015 and looking for the address “1033 S Tremaine Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90019“, one can therefore come across Leonard Cohen, immortalized in the garden of his home in the company of a friend, before his death in November 2016.
The possibility of visiting the Canadian musician virtually thanks to Street View has been discovered by fans and users for several years. In recent days, on the occasion of the eighth anniversary of the death of the great artist, the event was taken up by a well-known profile on Instagram which usually shows places linked to historical photographs or covers of bands and artists. The page is titled “thebandwashere” and is run by photographer and filmmaker Steve Birnbaum.
In his latest reel, Birnbaum documents his search on Google Maps to find Cohen’s image and writes: “Eight years ago Leonard Cohen left us. I thought I’d share with you all this little pearl, found during some research to try to locate some images a few years ago.” He adds: “Fortunately Google Maps allows you to see the streets across various years. Leonard Cohen died in 2016, but by changing the street view on Google Maps to 2015, a year before his death, Leonard can be seen sitting in the garden of his house talking to someone. Really nice!”.
Steve Birnbaum then says: “I was amazed when I found it. I often look back over the years to confirm what places looked like at the time the photos were taken. We miss Leonard Cohen, but in addition to all the wonderful art he brought to this world, he is immortalized on Google Maps. Search for ‘1033 S Tremaine Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90019’ to see for yourself. And if you decide to take a tour yourself, remember to be respectful of the current owners.”
