Twenty seven hands for leaving was an ephemeral environmental artwork created in late autumn 2024. I collected large, fallen leaves from a variety of tree species, including sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) and tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), near my home in Dumbarton Oaks Park, Washington, D.C. Using my right hand as a guide, I traced its outline onto each leaf and trimmed away the excess, leaving a simplified impression of my palm and fingers, still attached to the petiole. The leaf-hands were placed back outdoors, to interact with the wind, where they dried, weathered, and eventually broke down.