Late grunge rocker Chris Cornell will get a statue in his hometown. Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture will erect the piece on August 29 as a tribute to the Seattle-born Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman, according to a Friday statement from the Cornell family.
A life-size bronze statue of the ’90s music icon is planned to render Cornell’s signature boots, dog tag and long hair. The statue is the Cornell family’s gift to “the tight-knit community that gave him his start,” his widow, Vicky Cornell, said in a statement.
“Even though Chris’ music touched the lives of millions around the world, there is no better place than Seattle to honour 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,” she said.
The statue will be raised in a public ceremony at the Frank O. Gehry-designed museum located inside the Seattle Center next to the Space Needle. It will be displayed in front of the Museum of Pop Culture’s gold south entrance, facing 5th Avenue.
“MoPOP is honoured to receive this gift from the Cornell family and pay tribute to one of the most powerful and important voices in popular music,” said the museum’s artistic director, Jasen Emmons. “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.”
Sculptor Nick Marra, who recently sculpted the likeness of late Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin, was commissioned to create the work. The artist has worked in the film and television industries as a sculptor and special-effects makeup artist for more than 30 years.
Friday’s news of the commission coincided with what would have been Cornell’s 54th birthday. His wife commemorated the rocker on his Twitter account, describing the musician as “a rare gift to the world that is forever changed without you.”
The Grammy-winning artist was found dead in a Detroit hotel room in May 2017. Toxicology findings on his death later indicated that the singer had several prescription drugs in his system when he was found hanged.
