A 45-foot tall, 15,000 kg nude woman steel statue called R-Evolution was recently erected at Embarcadero Plaza in San Francisco, receiving both praise and criticism. The sculpture was designed by artist Marco Cochrane and has soft, multicoloured lighting. It is the last in The Bliss Project series by Cochrane, which originally debuted at Burning Man in 2015.
The installation is a joint collaboration by The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, The Sijbrandij Foundation, and Building 180. Authorities are optimistic that the art will strengthen the cultural appeal of the city and increase local tourism. According to the department’s press release, “Despite comprising over half the population, women are grossly underrepresented in public art, making up only 8% of statues in the US. This sculpture disrupts that imbalance, evoking a compelling moment of visibility and reflection.”
Take a look:
San Francisco unveiled their 45-foot statue of a nude woman Thursday at Embarcadero Plaza to attract tourism. The piece is titled “R-Evolution.”
SF continues to be plagued by crime, homeless, and illegals. The city would have many more tourists if these issues were addressed. pic.twitter.com/zc0EUunniF
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) April 13, 2025
Details of the Artwork
Painter Marco Cochrane also described the inspiration for his work, stating, “This sculpture is about being seen. Women’s presence in public art is rare. When they are represented, it is often through passive or outdated narratives. R-Evolution disrupts that. She stands strong, aware and grounded, calling for a world where all people can walk freely and without fear.”
Built with more than 55,000 steel welds, R-Evolution is programmed to gently shift once daily, simulating the process of breathing. At night, it lights up as a gleaming centerpiece, turning Embarcadero Plaza into a visually striking place.
Social Media Reacts
The statue despite it’s deep meaning has created a flood of criticism on social media. One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote, “San Francisco unveiled their 45-foot statue of a naked woman Thursday at Embarcadero Plaza to bring in tourism. The statue is named ‘R-Evolution.’ SF still has crime problems, homeless and illegals. The city would have a lot more tourists if these things were solved.”
Others questioned the statue’s relevance and effectiveness in drawing tourism. Comments ranged from, “Public art is a waste of money,” to, “This is not the way to attract more tourists.” Another simply called it, “weird,” while one user asked, “And the point of that statue is what??”
In spite of the criticism, R-Evolution is a strong piece of art, trying to redefine the debate of representation of women in street art and presenting a new and stunning addition to San Francisco’s cityscape.
