Benny Bufano was born in Italy, came to the USA at age 3, and eventually settled in the Bay area. He was a radical pacifist. 
This sculpture, “Peace”, resembles a missile on purpose. It once resided at San Francisco airport.
This one’s at Lake Merced. So smooth and graceful. Kid with flowers just happened to be there.
Other examples of Bufano’s work can be seen at the Hillsdale mall, St. Mary’s park in Chinatown, and Timber Cove, up on the North coast.
( You can see a couple more Bufano sculptures here and here and here.)
EPA and around the bay 
These are great! There’s also one at Fort Mason in the great meadow.
I never knew the penguin was his; used to ride my bike by there everyday. Great sculpture.
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Anyone know of East Bay installations? On a school field trip in the 70s, I first encountered the lovely “outstretched hand” in a grassy area within Walnut Creek’s “Quail Court” professional center (South Main exit off 680). I believe our teacher told us it was a Bufano; but then again, the years have obscured my memory, just as the trees have obscured the fingertips of the sculpture (which I used to look for whenever I passed through on 680). Time marches on indeed! I only wish it’d placed the Bufano pieces more prominently at the new SF Academy of Sciences so that those sweet, simple lovelies might welcome new generations just as they welcomed me and so many others in days and decades past.
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Just found out that the Bufano sculpture in Walnut Creek at Quail Court was demolished with sledge hammers by workers of new property owner because he didn’t like it…..he did this without contacting City of Walnut Creek officials.
Folks–Note that Bufano’s 1967 “Hand of Peace” sculpture at Quail Court has NOT been destroyed. According to City of Walnut Creek staff, the sculpture has been removed for restoration at a Berkeley conservation studio and will be relocated downtown.
peter c. : oh that’s just horrible, how could they
Agreed. That’s the worst thing i’ve heard in a while. Maybe city planning departments can take steps to prevent this in the future. In my town you need a permit to remove large trees, why not sculptures?
I used to see a large statue of a man, maybe a Priest in front of the mortuary in Fremont, what happend to it. ??
Does anyone know of any collectors of Bufano miniature Working Models? I never see them anywhere. I have 3 that I purchased from Leo Hills, Continental Gallery 3 months after Bennie’s death in 1970 and am looking for a buyer.
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Does anyone know where all of the ones (other than Peace) that used to line the entrance to the ‘old’ SFO went to. i can remember going into the ‘terminal’ (which later became the International terminal, before the new one and was shut down and gutted, to becaome ???) and there were several between the entry and exit roads. thanks in advance for location and or pictures. Where is the Peace statue located? i live in South Carolina now so it is difficult to get to the real world any more.
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I purchased one of the model sculptures of the St. Francis of Assisi work that stands at Fisherman’s Wharf. I bought it from Leo Hills at the Continental Art Gallery shortly after Bufano passed. Leo was a great character. I had visited him often for many years before talking to him about art and watching him tailor suits. Does anyone know if the Bufano Society still exists?
I am Leo’s daughter and it’s great to see he is still remembered!
Dinah Stroe
Does anyone know what year “Madonna” was placed at Fort Mason?