Chris Cornell statue unveiled by his children in Seattle
A statue of late Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell has gone on permanent display in his native Seattle.
The singer’s three children - 18-year-old Lily, Toni, 14, and Christopher, 12 - pulled the curtain back to reveal the life-sized bronze sculpture at a ceremony at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture last night (7th October).
Commissioned by Chris’ wife Vicky, the six-foot statue was created by sculptor Nick Marra and depicts the singer throwing a ‘rock god pose’ while clutching a perfectly detailed Gibson guitar.
Alongside Chris’ close family, Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil, Ben Shepherd, and Matt Cameron also attended the unveiling ceremony.
You can watch the moment Chris’ statue was unveiled here:
> 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
Nodding towards Soundgarden’s 1990 EP ‘Loudest Love’, Vicky Cornell told the crowd: "I thank you for embracing and loving Chris so deeply. Thank you, Seattle, for the support and loudest love."
Paying tribute to her late husband, Vicky called him a "beautiful, powerful, incomparable" source of light, adding: “He was the voice of a generation, and an artist that continues to draw us closer together, forever."
Following the unveiling ceremony, there was a screening of a 2013 Soundgarden concert inside the Museum of Pop Culture’s Sky Church.
Chris Cornell died in May 2017. He was 52 years old.
You can see more rock icons depicted as statues including Lemmy, Freddie Mercury, Bon Scott, Phil Lynott, Rory Gallagher and more by clicking this gallery link: