Everybody Knows - Original Painting

“Everybody Knows”  40” X 30” X 2” Mixed Media on a Cradled Wood Panel, Framed

Some songs entertain us. Others make us think. And then there are songs that hold up a mirror to the world, forcing us to confront things we might prefer not to see. Leonard Cohen’s Everybody Knows is one of those songs.

When I listen to it, I hear more than a cynical commentary on politics, power, relationships, and human nature. I hear a portrait of a world in which truth is often hidden in plain sight, where injustice becomes ordinary, and where people learn to live with contradictions they know exist.

My painting inspired by Everybody Knows is my attempt to capture that uneasy feeling. Rather than illustrate the song literally, I wanted to create a visual landscape filled with fragments of truth, distorted perceptions, political tension, and the complicated relationship between what we know and what we choose to accept.

For me, emotion is the starting point of art. Structure, color, abstraction, and composition are the tools I use to give that emotion a physical form.

Leonard Cohen's Everybody Knows reminds us that recognizing the truth and confronting it are two very different things. My painting explores that space between awareness and action, between what is visible and what remains hidden, between the world as it is and the world we wish it could be.

Perhaps that is why the song, written almost 40 years ago, continues to resonate. Its observations feel uncomfortably familiar, and its questions remain relevant.

Everybody knows. The harder question is what we choose to do with what we know.

Acquiring this one of a kind original isn’t just an acquisition but a distinguished investment. This artwork’s timeless quality and intricate design ensure it remains a captivating centerpiece, reflecting both cultural significance and refined taste. Perfect for those seeking to enhance their collection with a piece that balances luxury, meaning, and undeniable presence.

This piece is part of my ongoing exploration of “The British Invasion”, a series of mixed media paintings inspired by music from The British Invasion with architecture serving as a vessel for unseen narratives. Each work aims to evoke the stories and emotions hidden beneath the surface, inviting viewers to look beyond the obvious and discover the deeper layers within.

The British Invasion refers to the mid-1960s surge of British rock and pop artists who dramatically reshaped the sound and culture of rock and roll in the United States and around the world. Sparked by the explosive popularity of The Beatles after their 1964 arrival in America, the movement brought a new energy to rock music by blending American rhythm and blues with fresh songwriting, style, and attitude. Other influential bands such as The Rolling Stones, The Who, and The Kinks followed, helping redefine youth culture, fashion, and live performance. The British Invasion revitalized rock and roll and set the stage for many of the musical innovations that shaped modern popular music.

Frank Trocino is an award-winning American-born artist and former architect currently residing in Santa Fe, NM. His work primarily explores themes of people and architecture.

About the Artist

Frank Trocino is a retired architect turned painter currently residing in Santa Fe New Mexico. His path to Santa Fe began in New York, then to Oregon as a young child through College. From there he lived in Italy, Los Angeles, the Middle East, Portland, and Austin. Franks work can be seen in galleries, hotels, and the homes of private collectors internationally. He is a mixed media artist using acrylic paint, ink and collage and his subject matter is primarily people and buildings. 

This painting is also available as a canvas print

My mixed media paintings consist of acrylic paint and digital collage. They are painted on museum quality archival paper and then laminated to a cradled wood panel, varnished, waxed and then framed in a black floater frame.