A 45-Foot-Tall Nude Female Sculpture That ‘Breathes’ Is Heading To Miami Art Week

“It’s more than just a sculpture—it’s a 45-foot tall symbol of feminine strength and liberation.”

(Photo Credit: Eleanor Preger)

A 45-foot-tall, 32,000-pound nude female sculpture that first debuted at the Burning Man festival is heading to Miami Art Week.

The towering “R-Evolution” structure—which will glow in the sun and illuminate at night with LED lights—first debuted at Burning Man in 2015. It was created by artist Marco Cochrane, who has since displayed the sculpture outside his Petaluma, Calif. studio and more recently at the $4.3 billion Resorts World hotel in Las Vegas.

The striking artwork features 16 motors in its chest that will simulate breathing radiate “feminine energy” when it’s displayed in Miami Beach’s busy Lincoln Road district from November 14 through April 2024. The statue’s residency will be highlighted by Miami Art Week from Dec. 6th-Dec. 10th.

“It’s more than just a sculpture—it’s a conversation starter, a 45-foot tall symbol of feminine strength and liberation,” Cochrane tells Maxim. “I am deeply convinced that the time we have to solve the problems that threaten our existence on this planet is running out.

(Photo Credit: Eleanor Preger)

“The key to finding real, lasting solutions is bringing feminine energy into balance with male energy, a global shift that’s already underway. Introducing ‘R-Evolution’ to the East Coast for the first time, particularly on an iconic destination like Lincoln Road, during an event as renowned as Art Basel, feels like the beginning of a new chapter, and I’m keen to see how Miami vibes with it.”

Using a Pantograph—a medieval-era enlargement tool—the sculpture was hand-built by Cochrane starting with a life-sized original, then enlarged to a 15-foot-tall clay version, and finally to the 45-foot metal sculpture. It’s made from steel rod and tubing, utilizing two layers of geodesic triangles (necessitating 55,000 welds) and covered by a stainless steel mesh. 

“R-Evolution” is the third and final sculpture in Cochrane’s “The Bliss Project” series, designed to “catalyze social change by challenging bystanders to see past the sexual charge surrounding the female body.” Cochrane worked with singer and dancer Deja Solis as a model and collaborator for the piece, along with hundreds of volunteers.

(Photo: Russ-Eddy-Scout)

“Every year, we curate game-changing exhibits that push the boundaries of what has been done on Lincoln Road, and we can’t wait to bring Marco Cochrane’s ‘R-Evolution’ to Miami Beach residents and visitors,” said Anabel Llopis, executive director of the Lincoln Road Business Improvement District. “The piece will draw thousands to the destination with her energy and the magnitude of her presence.” 

Lincoln Road showcases free outdoor public art year-round, recently including Dan Graham’s “Steel-and-Glass Concave,” a funhouse-like homage to architect Morris Lapidus; a mural inside H&M by local Cuban-American artist ABSTRK; and work by artist Bradley Theodore on the wall of Peruvian restaurant Chotto Matte.

Check out images and video of the “R-Evolution” installation above.

Tags: