Commentary surrounding the newly installed R-Evolution sculpture on Market Street brings to mind the heated battle over a Marilyn Monroe upskirt statue in Palm Springs. In both cases, many folks have mused, “Nobody asked for this.”

As the dust settles from the installation of the new 45-foot-tall statue of a nude woman on Market Street, which is described as “empowering women," more and more people are starting to question, “Who asked for this thing?” While the city claims the massive sculpture will be a huge draw for tourists, opponents wonder whether those tourists will actually spend any significant money downtown. Most importantly, does it justify blocking views of the beloved Ferry Building?

In a recent post, KQED’s Sarah Hotchkiss notes that the statue doesn’t make sense outside the context of the Burningman playa. She also points out the large gender imbalance in public art (PDF) and argues that art isn't inherently feminist just because it depicts a woman:

R-Evolution, in a very old-fashioned way, is not a singular person, but a self-declared symbol of “divine feminine energy” — a giant nude sculpture of a woman made by a man. We should know by now that a depiction of a woman is not inherently feminist.
But when we give our public space over to third-party art agencies and privately funded artwork, maybe all we can expect is out-of-place aesthetics and half-baked messages of representation.

It all brings to mind a brilliant Slate article from last summer detailing the three-year battle over a 26-foot Marilyn Monroe upskirt statue that was installed in a prominent location in downtown Palm Springs in 2021. Some disgruntled residents argued that the statue blocked the iconic view along Museum Way approaching the town's modern art museum, and other opponents said it served as a “monument to misogyny.” Proponents claimed that the statue drew thousands of visitors downtown every month.

Fashion designer Trina Turk and real estate agent Chris Menrad raised funds to file a lawsuit demanding that the city move the statue somewhere less prominent. An agreement was made last July to move the statue to a park adjacent to the museum.

As SFist commenters have suggested, perhaps Hayes Valley is a better fit for SF's 45-foot lady of steel.