Latest news with #Embarcadero
The Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Obscene' statue sparks outrage in US city once deemed a woke enclave as 45ft naked woman towers over major public plaza
A MASSIVE naked woman statue has triggered fury after being plonked in a busy city plaza without public input. The 45-foot-tall, 32,000-pound sculpture shows a woman with her arms standing fully nude in one of San Francisco's most iconic spots. 3 3 Locals were blindsided when it appeared at Embarcadero Plaza earlier in April. The display was allowed to skip public comment because it's privately funded, and it hasn't gone down well with everyone. 'Somebody put up a 45' naked lady statue in San Francisco, nobody asked for it,' one X user wrote. "I'd rather have another $1.7 million public restroom. Y'Know, something more practical," added another. 'Now you have to walk between her legs to get from the Ferry Building to the Embarcadero.' "This is going to block the iconic view of the Ferry Bldg. from Market St.?" someone asked. The towering figure is titled R-Evolution and was first unveiled at Burning Man in 2015. It was meant to go to New York's Union Square but was deemed too heavy for the site. As of April 2025, the sculpture is hovering over Market Street just steps away from the bay, and is expected to stay through October. Putin's mad push to revive Soviet Union with Stalin statues & Red Army cosplay - as aide insists USSR 'NEVER broke up' For one hour each day, between 5 and 6 pm, her chest slowly rises and falls due to built-in electronics. 'Who funded this dumb ass s**t?' one furious commenter asked as photos of the statue spread online. Many argue it sends a grotesque message in a city battling gentrification and displacement, Court House News reported. Local street artists were temporarily booted to make room for it. The hope is that R-Evolution will "activate the space" and create an environment that encourages foot traffic from locals and tourists alike, according to the Recreation and Parks Department. 'Public art is a vital part of San Francisco's cultural identity, embodying the city's diverse and creative spirit,' Director of Cultural Affairs Ralph Remington said in a press release. He said the installation is meant to reflect the city's spirit of "bringing people together, activating public space, and reinforcing the power of art to spark conversation, inspire connection, and revitalize our shared urban landscape.' Though pitched as a symbol of female empowerment, some have pointed out the piece wasn't even created by a woman. The artist behind R-Evolution, 63-year-old Marco Cochrane, says it's about shifting perspectives on gender and power. THE ARTIST'S STATEMENT 'My mother was a feminist,' Cochrane wrote of the sculpture on his website. 'She handed off the torch to me about bringing feminine energy into the world.' The wire sculpture is based on model Deja Solis and aims to show her "just breathing." But to some, it's simply an eyesore in the middle of a city facing big challenges. San Francisco is still struggling with empty office buildings and falling foot traffic in a post-pandemic world. More than a third of office space sits vacant, according to researchers. R-Evolution was brought in by the San Francisco Arts Association as part of a $300,000 effort to lure people downtown. The project is backed by the Sijbrandij Foundation and produced by Building 180, a female-led art organization. 3
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Uproar over 'obscene' 50ft statue towering over San Francisco's skyline that 'nobody asked for'
A towering 45-foot-tall statue of a naked woman has sparked uproar in San Francisco after it was unveiled along the city's iconic Embarcadero. The sculpture, titled R-EVOLUTION, is the work of California artist Marco Cochrane and was first unveiled at Burning Man in 2015. The statue - weighing a staggering 32,000 pounds - was too heavy to be installed in New York's Union Square earlier this year, where it was initially headed. Instead, it has now found a temporary home in Embarcadero Plaza. But its latest appearance - standing completely nude in a major public plaza - has ignited fierce backlash online and in the city. Critics have blasted the piece of artwork as 'obscene' and saying 'nobody asked for it.' 'Somebody put up a 45' naked lady statue in San Francisco, nobody asked for it,' one X user fumed. 'Now you have to walk between her legs to get from the Ferry Building to the Embarcadero.' The statue has her arms outstretched, her eyes closed, and her bare body towering over pedestrians just steps from the bay. The display - which began Thursday, April 10 - is expected to remain in place through October. After that, organizers say it may be leased or sold. From 5-6pm everyday, the statue 'breathes' as built-in electronics cause her chest to slowly rise and fall in a show. But many residents have slammed the statue. 'Who funded this dumb ass s**t?' one commenter asked on X, as photos and videos of the sculpture circulated widely. Others complained the statue was installed without any public input. It was a move permitted because the project was privately funded. 'R-EVOLUTION is public art only in the most literal sense: It exists in public space,' local NPR station KQED wrote. 'The public - as in, the people - had nothing to do with it.' Despite being labeled a message of 'feminine liberation,' the 47-foot sculpture wasn't even made by a woman. Cochrane, 63, has said the piece is meant to inspire a 'shift in perspective' around gender and power. The display - which began Thursday, April 10 - is expected to remain in place through October But not everyone is against the eye-popping artwork. 'I'm impressed by the musculature, the accuracy,' retired physician Daniel Murphy, who came to see the piece in person, told Courthouse News. 'There's just a lot of anatomical detail that is more accurate than I would have expected.'
CBS News
6 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Person found dead in water along San Francisco waterfront near Exploratorium
A dead body was found in the water in San Francisco on Tuesday morning along the Embarcadero north of the Ferry Building, authorities said. The San Francisco Fire Department said on a social media post at 8:22 a.m. that 911 was called for a reported person in the water at Pier 15 next to the Exploratorium at the foot of Green Street. Bay Rescue: 911 was called for a reported person in the water at Pier 15 SFFD and SFPD arrived to find 1 person deceased. The medical examiner has been called and SFPD is currently on scene. #SFFD — SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIA (@SFFDPIO) May 27, 2025 Fire crews and police officers arrived to find a person dead, the department said. The city's medical examiner was called to the scene. There was no immediate word on the person's identity or cause of death.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Yahoo
Booming fireworks rattle San Francisco
(KRON) — An especially loud firework show rattled buildings and set off car alarms in San Francisco Saturday night. Fireworks were seen booming over Pier 17 along the Embarcadero from around 9:45 to 10 p.m. KRON4 reached out to the San Francisco Fire Department and the San Francisco Police Department to potentially receive more information about the firework show. However, the agencies did not immediately provide a response. Strong wind topples tree near Oracle Park KRON4 will provide an update when more information is available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Yahoo
Person rescued after falling into San Francisco Bay from the Embarcadero
(KRON) — The San Francisco Fire Department rescued a person who fell into San Francisco Bay along the Embarcadero Saturday around 6:30 p.m. The person was pulled from the water near Pier 30 behind Red's Java House. 'The person was rescued and transferred to a fire department ambulance,' SFFD said. Off-duty officer arrested for causing car crash while intoxicated The person was taken to a local hospital. Their condition is not known at this time. Earlier this month, SFFD rescued two young brothers who got caught in a rip current at Ocean Beach near Fort Funston. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
