Statue of Mahatma Gandhi (San Francisco)

Mohandas K. Gandhi is a 1988 bronze sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi sculpted by Zlatko Paunov and Steven Lowe. It is located in the plaza to the southeast of the San Francisco Ferry Building along the Embarcadero in San Francisco, California, United States. The 8-foot (2.4 m) tall sculpture is mounted on a block which bears a plaque, raised on two steps. It was a gift from the Gandhi Memorial International Foundation.[1]

Mohandas K. Gandhi
The statue east of the San Francisco Ferry Building, 2015
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Artist
  • Zlatko Paunov
  • Steven Lowe
Year1988 (1988)
TypeSculpture
MediumBronze
SubjectMahatma Gandhi
Dimensions2.4 m (8 ft)
LocationSan Francisco, California, United States
Coordinates37°47′43″N 122°23′33″W / 37.79533°N 122.39239°W / 37.79533; -122.39239

Reception

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The statue was dedicated by Art Agnos, the Mayor of San Francisco, on October 3, 1988. A similar statue by the same sculptors, Paunov and Lowe, was unveiled under a banyan tree in Kapiolani Park in Honolulu in 1990.[2]

msnbc.com contributor Chris Rodell wrote that the sculpture of Gandhi, a "renowned vegetarian", was appropriate for the plaza, being the site of a weekly farmers' market.[1]

In 2010, a group called the Organization for Minorities of India, which formed to protest the oppression of Indian minorities, demanded the removal of the sculpture, claiming Gandhi was a racist "who harbored violent urges".[3]

The sculpture is a known target for vandalism; the eyeglasses are the most-stolen item, and the staff has been broken on several occasions.[4][5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Rodell, Chris. "Look out, RoboCop! Statues from Yoda to Rocky lure tourists to cities". msnbc.com. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  2. ^ "About the Artist: Stephen Lowe". Gandhi Statue Waikiki. 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  3. ^ Coté, John (October 2, 2010). "Group says Gandhi racist, plans to protest statue". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  4. ^ Ho, Vivian; Huet, Ellen; Kane, Will (5 June 2013). "Chron Watch year: hits, misses". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  5. ^ Huet, Ellen (27 March 2013). "S.F. Gandhi statue vandalized – again". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
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