The 45-foot-tall sculpture, covered in stainless steel mesh, “breathes” for an hour daily.
SAN FRANCISCO – Karen Allen, a resident of Oakland, had read about the new statue that featured a n@ked woman in San Francisco. However, When she arrived in the city from Oakland, all she could think about was a ferry ride and a burger when she first arrived in the city.
On the other hand, as soon as she reached the Ferry Building, it was impossible for her not to take her eye off the enormous sculpture that stood in the plaza between Market Street and the Embarcadero, that bayside boulevard that runs along the eastern edge of downtown San Francisco.
The 45-foot-tall R-Evolution statue is made of steel covered with stainless steel mesh and features curvaceous n@kedness. From a certain angle, it appears to eclipse the Ferry Building’s 245-foot clock tower.
It’s beautiful and fun,” Allen said as she looked at the artwork. “I like how it’s lattice-like, lace-like, and very airy. There is no heavy weight to it. You feel like you’re being lifted by it.
Nearly a dozen people, mostly female, have spoken to USA TODAY since the statue was unveiled on April 10.
A married couple from Buenos Aires, Argentina, said R-Evolution captured the feminine strength and liberation that Bay Area artist Marco Cochrane sought to portray.
”It seems to pay homage to women,” Daniel Curti said.
On a trip from Wales with her husband and two young children, Steph Hughes called it “brilliant, lovely.”
It reminds me of a massive statue in Manila, which is eye-catching.
April Tanhueco, visiting San Francisco for the second time, said R-Evolution resembles Manila’s enormous “The Victor’s” statue.
“It symbolizes not just femininity but empowerment as well. It’s eye-catching. Having been urged by a friend to see the sculpture, Tanhueco said it exceeded his expectations.
A group of youngsters from the nonprofit where Rebekah Edwards works visited the new attraction with her. In the United States, only 8% of statues depict women, Edwards said.
A six-month run in Miami Beach led to this one being called “really amazing,” and she found it befitting of the city in which it now stands, after a six-month run in Miami Beach. The Embarcadero Plaza exhibit will also last six months; it could be extended.
“San Francisco welcomes diversity, is on the cutting edge of change, and maybe also accepts differences,” Edwards said. When we see negativity directed at women, she represents their power. ”It’s a positive sign.”
She ‘breathes’, doesn’t she? Yes, every day for an hour
One common criticism was not detecting the statue’s breathing, which is created by internal motors and mentioned in the informational sign at the bottom.
For battery and funding reasons, Shannon Riley, founder and CEO of Building 180—an art production and consulting agency that arranged the installation—said it was limited to an hour a day, from 5 to 6 p.m., to mimic breathing. It begins at sunset and lasts until 11 p.m. Before sunrise, there is a short run.
Riley didn’t expect an enormous n@ked woman to be embraced by everyone, and she was right. There has also been criticism closer to home in addition to the predictable response from conservative circles – the New York Post wrote, “it has sparked backlash, internet memes, and questions about the city’s priorities.”.
Sarah Hotchkiss, senior associate editor at KQED, felt embarrassed for San Francisco when she saw the statue. Despite being approved nearly unanimously by the city’s Arts Commission, Hotchkiss noted that R-Revolution was not subject to public feedback as a temporary installation.
Conservatives criticized the mixed reaction.
Riley said online reactions have been mixed, while they have been overwhelmingly positive in person.
“It’s OK if not everyone likes it. That’s not the purpose of art,” Riley said. “Controversy means discussion; it means interesting viewpoints. It’s better if it’s controversial. ”Let’s get people talking.”
As well as walking. Officials envisioned the R-Evolution as a pedestrian magnet in a downtown still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused tens of thousands of workers to leave their offices and not return.
According to the city’s Recreation and Parks Department, R-Evolution’s arrival is part of the city’s broader efforts to revitalize downtown. Studies have shown that public art increases foot traffic, boosts economic activity, and fosters cultural engagement.
At his current location, he appears spacious and bright.
In 2015, Cochrane created R-Evolution, the last of a three-piece series, for the largest gathering of artists and supporters in the Nevada desert, Burning Man.
Riley first saw the sculpture there. The Ferry Building on Treasure Island, then home to Building 180, was constructed a few miles away. Riley figured that near the sculpture’s birthplace would be an ideal location after the Miami Beach exhibit ended.
San Francisco’s Union Square was planned to unveil the statue in February. However, concerns about the 32,000-pound statue cracking the plaza’s tiles caused it to be moved east to the Embarcadero.
“She looks beautiful from where she sits,” Riley said. “She looks big and bright, and the setting is incredible.