In May of last year, Chris Cornell, the famed Soundgarden and Audioslave singer, passed away, sending shockwaves through the music community. In July of this year, Chris Cornell’s wife, Vicky Cornell, announced that she was donating a life-size bronze statue of her husband to the Museum of Pop Culture in Cornell’s home city of Seattle. Over the weekend, after two months of delays, that statue, which was created by Nick Marras, was finally unveiled.
As Vicky Cornell explained during the statue’s initial announcement,
Even though Chris’ music touched the lives of millions around the world, there is no better place than Seattle to honor and celebrate both his contribution to music history, as well as Seattle’s unique place in popular music, with an enduring symbol of a beloved artist, father, and husband. … Our children and I are deeply moved by the continued outpouring of love, compassion, and support, and this is our gift to the Museum of Pop Culture and to Seattle – our gift back to the tight-knit community that gave him his start.
Placed by the gold south entrance of the Museum of Pop Culture, Nick Marras’ sculpture depicts Chris Cornell in an iconic pose, with the singer wearing his characteristic combat boots and dog tags and playing his Gibson Memphis guitar. For the unveiling, Chris Cornell’s children did the honors, though Vicky Cornell and the Artistic Director at MoPOP, Jasen Emmons, both spoke to the late Grammy-winning singer’s influence.
As Jasen Emmons noted during his remarks, “The clouds tonight somehow feel right for someone who brought us so much dark, beautiful music.”
Added Vicky Cornell, “He was the voice of a generation, and an artist that continues to draw us closer together, forever.”
The kids of #ChrisCornell unveil his statue that will now forever stand in his memory in #Seattle. #KOMONews #MoPOP pic.twitter.com/aV1ha2Dc4Y
— Kara Kostanich (@KaraKostanich) October 8, 2018
[H/T Consequence Of Sound]