The Chris Cornell statue that stands outside the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, Washington has been vandalized by a heartless idiot who has painted portions of the monument white.
The motives for this act of vandalism remains unknown and no details have been made available at press time as to whether authorities have a lead on who the perpetrator(s) may be. A photo of the defaced statue, which was commissioned and donated by Chris Cornell’s widow Vicky, can be seen below courtesy of Seattle’s KIRO 7 News.
The criminal act drew a response from the Cornell family, who condemned the actions while expressing gratitude toward the fans who elected to work together in an attempt to clean the life-size memorial of the legendary Seattle rocker.
“My children and I are heartbroken to learn of the vandalization of Chris’s statue at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle,” wrote Vicky on Instagram.
“The statue is not only a work of art but a tribute to Chris, his incomparable musical legacy and everything that he stood for. It represents Chris, who is beloved not only in Seattle, but worldwide,” she continued, adding, “In the face of this hate and destruction, we are thankful once again to the fans who stood up to support him and showed such immense love. It lifted our hearts to hear that fans brought supplies and attempted to clean up the heartbreaking vandalism.”
Undeterred, she vowed, “The statue will be restored. Hate will not win,” and exclaimed, “Chris is Seattle’s Son!”
The Chris Cornell statue was officially unveiled in October of 2018, about a year-and-a-half after the Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman died of suicide. The bronze replica was sculpted by artist Nick Marra and depicts Cornell in an iconic, outstretched pose.
Photos: Chris Cornell Through the Years