Lehti / The Leaf

The large sculpture, by the French artist Jean-François Briant, resembling a leaf or the ear of a fox was made of stainless steel and galvanised steel. Briant named the work “Oreille végétale”.

The joint project by the French Cultural Centre and the Helsinki City Art Museum was launched when Briant was a visiting teacher at the Academy of Fine Arts of Finland in 1994. The work was constructed at the engineering shop of the City’s Public Works Department after Briant’s designs and instructions and under his personal supervision. “The Leaf” was unveiled in the presence of the artist on 21 August, 1998 and it belongs to the collections of the Helsinki Art Museum.

During his visit to Finland, Briant was fascinated by the northern light. He wanted to make a sculpture that would create a dialogue with nature and natural light, according to the seasons.

“The Leaf” stands on a circular granite base, which also doubles as a bench, and is encircled by a pathway. Including the base, the total height of the piece is about 5 metres.