A Chris Cornell Statue Is Coming to Seattle
The life-size bronze statue of the Seattle music legend will be a permanent fixture outside of MoPOP
By Dan Shafer July 20, 2018
Today would have been Chris Cornell’s 54th birthday. In his honor, his wife Vicky Cornell announced today that he will be commemorated with a statue in his hometown of Seattle.
The life-size bronze statue will be located at the Museum of Popular Culture (MoPOP) in front of the south entrance, facing 5th Avenue. It will be raised in a public ceremony on Wednesday, Aug. 29. (UPDATE (8/23): MoPOP has moved the statue unveiling event to Oct. 7 “due to the awesome overwhelming response from our community.”)
Sculptor Nick Marras has been commissioned to create the statue of the Soundgarden and Audioslave singer that will be “showcasing the rock legend in one of his iconic poses with his signature boots, dog tag, layers and long locks.”
Vicky Cornell said this is a “gift back to the tight-knit community that gave him his start.”
“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,” said Vicky Cornell. “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.”
Jasen Emmons, artistic director at MoPOP, said the museum was honored to receive the gift, calling Cornell “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,” he said.
Cornell died by suicide at age 52.
Vicky Cornell also posted messages on Twitter remembering her late husband and wishing him happy birthday.
Happy Birthday my love…. Your life touched so many, you left your mark forever on millions of hearts everywhere. You were a rare gift to the world that is forever changed without you. pic.twitter.com/blOyfcgg4X
— Chris Cornell (@chriscornell) July 20, 2018
Today we celebrate you – the artist, the husband, the father, the son, the brother, the friend, the man for all that you’ve blessed us with #gratitude. – VC
— Chris Cornell (@chriscornell) July 20, 2018
Follow Us
Ferry Tales: Eight Indie Bookstores Worth the Ride
Plan a summer day around these bookshops in Seattle, Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, Kingston, and Poulsbo.
Independent bookstores tend to be cornerstones of the communities in which they reside, and Seattle is no exception. In addition to helping customers discover their next read, these neighborhood hubs host weekly gatherings and events, like publication release parties, author talks, and book clubs. Many of them have cafés and reading tables that encourage lingering…
Rearview Mirror: Seattle Art Fair is Back, Nordstrom Throws a Block Party, and a Must-Try Ice Cream Sundae
Things I did, saw, ate, learned, or read in the past week (or so).
SEATTLE ART FAIR RETURNS The buzziest event of the summer (well, aside from the World Cup), is returning next week. Now in its 10th edition, the Seattle Art Fair will once again take over the Lumen Field Event Center, packing it to the gills with art from 101 local, national, and international galleries. This year,…
Studio Sessions: Jennifer Leigh Harrison
Seattle artist Jennifer Leigh Harrison uses layers of paint and abstraction to explore what we carry beneath the surface.
Jennifer Leigh Harrison’s paintings are dense with movement. Color and texture gather into mosaic-like fields, as if they have been fractured and reformed. There are places in the work where a frenetic buzz seems trapped between the canvas and the first layer of paint. That energy runs through Patterns of Belonging, her current exhibition at…
ENHYPEN’s Jay Has K-Pop Stardom and a Seattle Heart
The Federal Way-raised singer talks hometown memories, Ivar’s clam chowder, and how it feels to perform in the place he grew up.
Long before he was performing in sold-out arenas around the world and representing brands like Prada, ENHYPEN’s Jay called the Puget Sound region home. Born Jay Park (not to be confused with the other famous K-pop star of the same name, who is also from Seattle) in Seattle and raised in nearby Federal Way before…