CHRIS CORNELL STATUE UNVEILING CEREMONY AT MOPOP

CHRIS CORNELL STATUE UNVEILING CEREMONY AT MOPOP
 
“Chris Cornell: An Everlasting Tribute to Seattle’s Son”
Now Scheduled for Sunday, October 7
 
WHAT: On Sunday, October 7 Vicky Cornell and the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) will celebrate Seattle’s son, music icon and late Grammy® Award-winning singer/songwriter Chris Cornell with the public unveiling of a commemorative statue. Following the unveiling, footage of Soundgarden’s performance at The Wiltern, captured by the Artist Den, will be screened inside MoPOP’s Sky Church.
Since announcing plans for the statue, MoPOP and the Cornell family have received an overwhelming response from the community wanting to honor Chris’ life. The decision was made to move the statue unveiling from Wednesday, August 29 to Sunday, October 7 to accommodate crowds.
The life-size bronze statue was commissioned and donated to MoPOP by the late musician’s wife, Vicky Cornell. The statue sculpted by artist Nick Marras showcases the rock legend in one of his iconic poses with his signature boots, dog tag, layers and long locks.
“As an artist, my husband was not only one of the greatest voices in rock history 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,” said Vicky Cornell. “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 Vicky Cornell and pay tribute to one of the most powerful and important voices in popular music,” says Jasen Emmons, Artistic Director, MoPOP. “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.”
Vicky and MoPOP invite the community to attend the statue unveiling and RSVP to attend the screening. Both events are free to the public. Space is limited for the screening.
 
WHEN: Sunday, October 7, 2018
5:30pm: Public Statue Unveiling
Speakers will include representatives from Cornell Family, MoPOP and special guests
6:00pm: Members of Soundgarden Host Special screening of LIVE FROM THE ARTIST’S DEN:  SOUNDGARDEN filmed at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, CA.

RSVP Required
WHERE: Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
Statue unveiling will take place on the northwest corner of 5
th Avenue N and Thomas Street
Screening will take place in MoPOP’s Sky Church
TICKETS: The event is free and open to the public.
RSVP is required to attend the screening: MoPOP.org/ChrisCornell
All ages. 21+ to drink.
ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF POP CULTURE (MoPOP)
MoPOP is a leading-edge, non-profit museum dedicated to the ideas and risk-taking that fuel contemporary popular culture. With its roots in rock ‘n’ roll, MoPOP serves as a gateway museum, reaching multi-generational audiences through collections, exhibitions and educational programs, and using interactive technologies to engage and empower its visitors. At MoPOP, artists, audiences and ideas converge, bringing understanding, interpretation and scholarship to the popular culture of our time. MoPOP is housed in a 140,000 square foot Frank Gehry-designed building. This spectacular, prominently visible structure has the presence of a monumental sculpture set amid the backdrop of the Seattle Center. For more information, visit MoPOP.org.
 
ABOUT CHRIS CORNELL
Chris Cornell (1964-2017) was a modern innovator who transcends genre. He was the chief architect of the 90s-grunge movement and remains one of the best voices of all time. Achieving multi-platinum success with three legendary bands – selling over 30 million records worldwide – he forged his own unique identity over three decades as a Grammy® Award-winning, Golden Globe nominated singer, songwriter, guitarist, composer and lyricist.
 
His career began with Seattle trailblazers Soundgarden, whose wild soundscapes combined visceral punk attitude with artistic depth. Powerfully original, they were the first of their generation of Seattle bands to sign to a major label in 1989 and their work continued to evolve over the course of seven groundbreaking albums. Soundgarden made a historic return to the live stage in 2010 and have since toured the world, releasing the all-new studio album, KING ANIMAL, to widespread acclaim.
 
Cornell continually redefined his sound and vision. In 1990, side project Temple of the Dog saw him experiment with a more soulful style alongside the future members of Pearl Jam. Later in the decade, his critically acclaimed solo album EUPHORIA MORNING combined lush melody and instrumentation with lyrics which spoke of alienation and despair. And as the millennium turned, he joined with three other musical pioneers from Rage Against the Machine to create supergroup Audioslave. The multi-platinum band released three albums and toured stadiums around the world, becoming the first American rock group to perform a massive free concert in Castro’s Cuba. Cornell has also collaborated with many different artists, most recently the Zac Brown Band on their single “Heavy Is The Head”, which peaked at #1 on rock radio in the US. He also recorded a song for Johnny Cash Forever Words: The Music to be released in 2018.
 
Cornell’s solo acoustic ‘Songbook’ tour attracted sellout crowds and critical acclaim worldwide. Jim Farber of the New York Daily News observed, “sometimes you don’t recognize the full power of a voice until you strip everything away from it.” The tour’s reinterpretations of classic Cornell songs are featured on his 2011 live album of the same name.
 
HIGHER TRUTH, his fifth solo album, reflects an expressive intimacy similar to that of SONGBOOK, while also displaying his evolution and growth as a master craftsman songwriter. Following the album’s release Cornell embarked on a critically acclaimed worldwide sold out tour which was followed by a tour with Temple of The Dog, marking the first time the band has toured since they released their storied and groundbreaking self-titled album over 25 years ago. All dates sold out immediately.
 
Cornell’s soundtrack work spanned both big budget and independent cinema. He was the first male American artist to write and perform the theme song for a James Bond movie (“You Know My Name” for Casino Royale). He wrote the end title song “Live to Rise” for The Avengers, the third highest grossing film of all time. He duetted with Joy Williams on his song “Misery Chain” which appeared on the soundtrack of the Oscar-winning 12 Years A Slave and his song “The Keeper” from Marc Forster’s Machine Gun Preacher was nominated for a Golden Globe in 2012.
 
In 2017, he released the title song he wrote and recorded for the Terry George feature film The Promise of which he donated all of his proceeds to the International Rescue Committee. The I.R.C. responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. In March, Cornell and his family toured refugee camps in Greece where he vowed to continue to use his music to support causes that help foster change.
 
Cornell and his wife founded The Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation to raise funds and partner with charitable organizations to mobilize support for the world’s most vulnerable children facing issues including education, homelessness, poverty, abuse and neglect. In addition to the aforementioned program with the I.R.C. Chris and Vicky have worked with many different organizations through the years including Stuart House, an internationally recognized, model program created by The Rape Foundation and others to serve the special needs of sexually abused children and their families. They have also supported the Fulfilment Fund which empowers youth through education; the Rock4EB! to benefit the Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation; MusiCares which provides support and community services to musicians in need of medical, personal & financial assistance as well as the Make-A Wish Foundation, Los Angeles’ Five Acres, and Seattle’s YouthCare. In 2009 Chris co-wrote a song, “I Promise It’s Not Goodbye,” with Rory de la Rosa, a fan dying of brain cancer. The words were written by Rory for his six-year old daughter, who passed before him, to help raise funds to support his family who were all afflicted by terminal brain stem cancer. Chris went on to mentor his 13-year old son, Zavier who died of the same cancer in March of 2017 at the age of 21.
 
Since Cornell’s passing, Vicky Cornell has vowed to keep the promise and build on Chris’ commitment to raise awareness and assist at risk children around the world. She recently returned to the refugee camps in Greece with the I.R.C. where she is exploring ways in which the foundation can support education programs for refugee children forced to flee war, and missing out on critical time in their education. Additionally, the foundation donated a $100,000 for a music therapy program at Childhaven, a Seattle-based nonprofit that provides intensive therapeutic mental health and developmental services for children and their families with the belief that early intervention, education, and targeted professional services help children heal and families thrive.
 
LIVE FROM THE ARTISTS DEN: SOUNDGARDEN
On a warm February night in Los Angeles, the legendary Seattle rock band Soundgarden concluded a sold-out winter tour in support of King Animal, their first studio album in over sixteen years. In front of a rapturous crowd, the Artists Den captured this unforgettable night within the historic art deco setting of The Wiltern. Soundgarden interwove brand new songs with classic radio hits, along with rarities performed for the first time in front of a live audience. Over the extended set, the band showcased their legendary catalog and unparalleled musicianship, solidifying their impact on the history of rock and roll.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS DEN:
Live from the Artists Den is the critically acclaimed television and digital music series best known for presenting secret concerts by extraordinary artists in historic settings. The series, now entering its tenth year on national public television, connects fans with unique and intimate musical experiences from some of the industry’s finest talent. Live from the Artists Den has featured Adele, Shawn Mendes, John Legend, Alabama Shakes, Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons, Sara Bareilles, The Killers, Zac Brown Band, and countless others. Historic venues include Graceland, the first art museum in America, a 1930s silent movie theater, the world’s oldest merchant sailing vessel, the New York Public Library, The World’s Fair, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. LFAD is broadcasted nationally on public television, and internationally in the UK, Japan, Germany, Australia, Canada, and Latin America. Please visit artistsden.com for a full listing of previously featured artists, and join our mailing list to be the first to know about show announcements, broadcast schedules, and new content releases.