Bay Area residents crowded Embarcadero Plaza to celebrate a new installation on Thursday: “R-Evolution,” a 45-foot metal sculpture of a nude woman by Petaluma-based artist Marco Cochrane.
The sculpture was first revealed at Burning Man in 2015 and has been displayed in various cities such as Miami and Washington, D.C. before landing in San Francisco. The statue is scheduled to be on display for at least six months, depending on public reception.
“This sculpture is about being seen,” said Cochrane in a press release. “Women’s presence in public art is rare. When they are depicted, it is often through outdated or passive narratives. “R-Evolution” challenges that. She stands strong, aware and grounded — calling for a world where all people can walk freely and without fear.”
“R-Evolution” depicts vocalist and dancer Deja Solis, and its steel tubing is designed for refined movement, simulating breathing. Inside the scaffolding, there are hundreds of multi-colored lights, creating a nighttime glow. “R-Evolution” is the third installment of a sculpture series called “The Bliss Project.”
The event was hosted by the nonprofit organization Opulent Temple and art company Building 180. The Sijbrandij Foundation helped fund the installation with final approval from the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department.
A self-taught artist, Cochrane was born in Italy and raised in Berkeley. His parents were also artists; Cochrane defined them as “hippies” due to their unconventional lifestyle during his childhood in the 1960s. He said his work aims to celebrate people and seeks to remind people about the universality of the human experience.
Debra Walker, a member of the San Francisco Arts Commission, praised the piece and said it contributes to the “need to transcend outdated perceptions of the female body and celebrate it as a symbol of strength, beauty and empowerment.”
The public unveiling attracted a crowd of zealous locals as well as tourists who stumbled onto the celebration. Visitors took countless selfies with the statue as the iconic Ferry Building served as the backdrop. San Francisco resident Tracy Boyd said she had been waiting to see the sculpture for two months after the original plan to bring it to Union Square fell through due to the statue’s weight potentially cracking granite tiles at the site.
The addition of “R-Evolution” may be part of a new beginning for the Embarcadero Plaza. In March, the Board of Supervisors approved spending $35 million to construct a new five-acre waterfront park. With the imminent renovations, residents hope that this will help revitalize the downtown area.
“The city really needs experiences right now,” said San Francisco resident Donna Yelmokas. “Things like this are going to bring tourists and people from the city to come out, so having pieces of art for people to view like this is amazing.”
But not all of the reception is optimistic.
Sarah Hotchkiss, senior associate editor at KQED, viewed its feminist messaging as “half-baked” and questioned why city planners did not ask for prior public comment on the installation’s effect on local vendors.
Despite concerns, many hope that the presence of public art is the first step in revamping San Francisco’s downtown.
Klyde Java (he/him) is a filmmaker, photographer and writer based in San Francisco, California. Born and raised in Southern California, he currently attends San Francisco State University, double majoring in psychology and Broadcast Electronic Communication Arts (BECA) with a minor in journalism.
