Leaves: The Endangered Species of New England

Three white metal leaves resting on green grass, creating a contrast between the metallic and natural elements.

Endangered Species of New England installed on the Bellarmine lawn.

About

These four larger-than-life aluminum sculptures of leaves were created in 2011 and represent several of New England’s most beloved native trees: the American Beech, the American Chestnut, the Burr Oak, and the Sugar Maple.

The sculpted leaves act as reminders to honor and protect the trees, and as a warning that failure to do so could result in their extinction.

In April 2022, the museum presented a panel featuring artist Alan Sonfist and faculty from Fairfield University's Biology Department and Engineering Program, highlighting these sculptures in the context of climate change and conservation.

Date

December 1, 2021 - June 1, 2027

Location

Fairfield University Art Museum
Bellarmine Lawn

Meet the Artist

Alan Sonfist is best known as a pioneer of the Land or Earth Art movement. In 1965, he designed and constructed the environmental sculpture known as "Time Landscape," replanting a 25-by-40-foot plot of land in lower Manhattan with only native plants that trees that would have been present before the arrival of European colonizers. Throughout his career, he has continued to use his art to confront issues of environmental conservation, climate change, and other threats to our natural world.