Last Updated:May 29, 2025, 18:40 IST

The statue was installed last month with hopes it will attract more visitors and help boost economic activity in the city.

San Francisco’s Embarcadero Plaza is home to a new, eye-catching figure – a 45-foot tall statue of a naked woman. Named R-Evolution, this steel sculpture weighs 15,000 kg and shines with multicoloured lights. Created by artist Marco Cochrane, it is the final piece in his ‘The Bliss Project’ series, which debuted at the Burning Man festival in 2015.

The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, together with The Sijbrandij Foundation and Building 180, installed the statue last month hoping it will attract more visitors and help boost economic activity in the city.

Social media platforms have been buzzing with opinions.

A user wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “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.”

Another wrote, “Public art is a waste of money.”

“This is not the way to attract more tourists,” a comment read.

Someone said, “This is weird.”

“And the point of that statue is what??” a user asked.

The Recreation and Park Department defends the installation as gender representation in public art. According to their press release, “Despite making up more than half the population, women are vastly underrepresented in public art, comprising only 8% of statues in the US. This sculpture challenges that imbalance, creating a powerful moment of visibility and reflection.”

R-Evolution is an impressive piece of art. Made with more than 55,000 steel welds, the statue moves slightly for one hour each day to look like it is breathing. At night, it lights up softly with colourful lights, turning Embarcadero Plaza into a beautiful spot to visit after dark.

The artist Marco Cochrane explains his vision behind the sculpture: “This sculpture is about being seen. 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 When they are depicted, it is often through outdated or passive narratives.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.”

Cochrane’s work focuses on empowering female figures in a way that breaks away from traditional portrayals. ‘The Bliss Project’ series, ending with R-Evolution, shows women not as passive objects but as powerful, self-aware beings.

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Delhi, India, India

First Published:

DETROIT (AP) — Wenceel Pérez homered in his first at-bat in his season debut, Jack Flaherty worked six scoreless innings and Riley Greene had three hits and two RBIs as the American League-leading Detroit Tigers beat the San Francisco Giants 3-1 on Tuesday night.

Pérez, who had missed the entire season due to a lower back injury, hit a 2-0 pitch 351 feet to right field in the second inning for his first homer since Aug. 7.

Greene has 22 RBIs in May, the first time in a calender month he has knocked in 20 runs, and has 38 RBIs overall. He is hitting .270 with six homers.

Flaherty (3-6) gave up two hits and a walk while striking out eight as the Tigers won their third straight and improved to 36-20. He retired the last 11 batters he faced. Will Vest pitched the ninth for his seventh save.

Giants starter Logan Webb (5-5) allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk in six innings, striking out 10. San Francisco fell to 2-3 on their current nine-game trip.

Greene gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead with an RBI double in the first. After Pérez homered in the second, Colt Keith led off the third with a triple and scored on Greene’s second hit. He added another double in the fifth before striking out in the eighth.

The Giants scored in the ninth when Heliot Ramos led off with a single and came around on a Wilmer Flores double. Greene made a sliding catch to rob Jung Hoo Lee of a base hit, and Vest retired the next two hitters to end the game.

The Tigers won despite striking out 13 times in eight innings.

Key moment

Giants manager Bob Melvin was ejected by home plate umpire Tony Randazzo after arguing balls and strikes in the fifth inning.

Key stat

Spencer Torkelson, who leads the Tigers in most offensive categories, went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. He is hitting .207 with six homers and 30 strikeouts in his last 33 games.

Up next

The teams finish their three-game series on Wednesday with Detroit RHP Jackson Jobe (4-1, 4.06) facing RHP Landen Roupp (3-3, 3.63).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb