R-Evolution (Cochrane)

R-Evolution
R-Evolution illuminated by colorful lights in Embarcadero Plaza
ArtistMarco Cochrane
Year2015 (2015)
MediumSteel rod and tubing covered by stainless-steel mesh
SubjectFeminine strength and liberation
Dimensions14 m (47 ft)
Weight32,000 pounds (15,000 kg)
LocationSan Francisco, California, United States
Coordinates37°47′41″N 122°23′40″W / 37.7947420923447°N 122.39450216195253°W / 37.7947420923447; -122.39450216195253

R-Evolution is the third and final sculpture in Marco Cochrane's series, The Bliss Project. The sculpture was created for, and debut at, Burning Man in 2015.[1] The work has been installed in Embarcadero Plaza in San Francisco since April 2025.[2][3][4]

Description and history

R-Evolution is a 47-foot (14 m) tall, 32,000-pound (15,000 kg) sculpture created from steel rod and tubing covered by a stainless-steel mesh. The sculpture features a woman standing in a tadasana pose.

In December 2016, activists applied for a permit to display R-Evolution on the National Mall starting in November 2017 for the "Catharsis on the Mall" event,[5] but the permit was denied over fears the turf would be damaged. Although the sculpture was too tall for temporary installations on the Mall, a height variance was issued and later revoked.[6] Undaunted, the group instead applied to exhibit a 26-foot (7.9 m)-tall composite photograph of 27 naked women holding the same pose, which a spokeswoman called "a healing image and it's about making women feel safe in their environments."[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ says, Tuna (2015-04-21). "R-Evolution Has Begun!". Burning Man Journal. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
  2. ^ Bravo, Tony. "I love the controversy around S.F.'s latest piece of public art". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2025-08-28. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
  3. ^ Examiner |, Max Blue | Special to The (2025-04-14). "Blue: Embarcadero statue doesn't mesh with SF". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
  4. ^ "Naked lady statue on Embarcadero extended to March 2026 Embarcadero's massive nude statue gets six-month reprieve". sfstandard.com. 2025-09-30. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
  5. ^ Stein, Perry (3 October 2017). "This 45-foot statue of a naked woman could be coming to the Mall for four months". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  6. ^ Stein, Perry (26 October 2017). "Park Service denies permit for a 45-foot statue of a naked woman on the Mall". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  7. ^ Stein, Perry (3 November 2017). "Activists behind a rejected 45-foot statue of a naked woman in D.C. have a new plan: A 26-foot digital artwork of a naked woman". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.