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)
Location

R-Evolution is the third and final sculpture in Marco Cochrane's series, The Bliss Project. The sculpture was created for and debuted at Burning Man in 2015. The work was displayed at Embarcadero Plaza in San Francisco from April 2025 to October 2026.

Description and history

R-Evolution outside of the Ferry Building in San Francisco

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, 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. 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."

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. ↑ Whiting, Sam (2026-10-13). "Giant nude sculpture comes down in dramatic S.F. spectacle". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2026-10-14.
  6. ↑ 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.
  7. ↑ 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.
  8. ↑ 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.