Friday, July 20th, marked what would have been Chris Cornell‘s 54th birthday. The late Soundgarden and Audioslave singer passed away in May of last year, sending shockwaves through the music community. However, today, Chris Cornell’s wife, Vicky Cornell, announced that Cornell’s home city of Seattle will raise a statue honoring the late Grammy Award-winning singer in August outside Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture.
The statue will be raised during a public ceremony on Wednesday, August 29th. Per a press release, “Ms. Cornell commissioned sculptor Nick Marras to create a life size bronze statue showcasing the rock legend in one of his iconic poses with his signature boots, dog tag, layers and long locks. She has donated the commemorative figure to Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture. …The statue will be placed on display in front of the Museum of Pop Culture’s gold south entrance, facing 5th Avenue, the ideal location for fans and visitors around the world.”
As Vicky Cornell explained,
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.
As the Museum of Pop’s artistic director, Jasen Emmons, noted, “MoPOP is honored to receive this gift from the Cornell family and pay tribute to one of the most powerful and important voices in popular music. … MoPOP serves to celebrate the Seattle music scene and the luminaries who have emerged from the Northwest and Chris was a key figure who has made a lasting impact on generations worldwide.”