An unveiling ceremony of a life-size bronze statue commemorating late Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell in his Seattle hometown has been moved from August 29 to Sunday, October 7 due to overwhelming public response to the event.
Cornell’s widow, Vicky, will be on hand at the city’s Museum Of Pop Culture for the tribute to the singer that features a tribute by sculptor Nick Marras that depicts the rocker “in one of his iconic poses with his signature boots, dog tag, layers and long locks.”
The statue will stand outside of MoPOP’s gold south entrance facing Fifth Avenue.
"As an artist, my husband was not only one of the greatest voices in rock history,” says Vicky, “but also one of the greatest and most prolific poets of his time – his contribution to music birthed a movement that would leave an indelible mark on popular music forever.
“It only makes sense that I donate this statue to MoPop with their dedication to the ideas and risk-taking that fuel contemporary popular culture. Like my husband and his music, MoPop reaches multigenerational audiences, and this is the perfect place where people near and far can come together to not only support the museum and its programs, but also celebrate the legacy that my husband left behind, not only in Seattle but around the world."
“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,” adds MoP 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.”
Open free to the public, the statue tribute will be unveiled on October 7 at 5:30 p.m. and followed by a free screening of Soundgarden’s performance on the PBS series, “Live From The Artists Den”, inside MoPOP's Sky Church – which fans must RSVP to attend at mopop.org.
Cornell co-founded Soundgarden with lead guitarist Kim Thayil and bassist Hiro Yamamoto in Seattle in 1984; bassist Ben Shepherd and drummer Matt Cameron went on to round out the band’s longtime lineup.
Soundgarden released six studio albums since 1988, earning worldwide sales of 23 million copies. The group’s commercial peak was 1994’s “Superunknown”, which sold 5 million in the US alone.
See also:
Chris Cornell statue to be erected in Seattle
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Search Soundgarden at hennemusic
