Leandro Erlich: Argentina’s master of optical illusion

Buenos Aires: Thousands of visitors have posed on his trompe- l’oeil facades, he made the pointed tip of the Buenos Aires Obelisk disappear and he even tricked visitors into thinking they were seeing others underwater in a giant pool. Argentina’s Leandro Erlich is shaking up the art world with his wonderful world of illusions. The 44- year- old conceptual artist divides his time between his hometown Buenos Aires and Montevideo, the very liveable capital of neighbouring Uruguay. In his dream factory — a three- story studio in the Villa Crespo residential area of Buenos Aires shielded from the road by a giant metal barrier — Erlich creates his giant installations, which have earned cult status in London, Paris and New York. Erlich has managed to wow both art amateurs and discerning critics with his work. The biggest display of his work to date — 44 pieces in total — has drawn 400,000 visitors to the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, where it will run until April 1. “Erlich stimulates the senses, not just the intellect. He’s asking patrons to live through an experience, as one does at the theatre,” explains Andres Duprat, director of the National Museum of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires. “Not only are his works making waves in the art world, they are reaching a much wider public,” Duprat says. “This is not someone who is doing special effects. He’s showing how it all works. Once the visitor understands the work, he or she can begin to savour it, and reflect on it.” In Port of Reflections, colourful rowboats seem to float — except there is no water. Swimming Pool sees people walk fully clothed into a pool — except there is no pool. Elevator Maze, a matrix of elevator banks, confuses patrons when they don’t see their own reflection in the mirror. Visitors are thrilled, confused, annoyed or experience an emotion somewhere in between — but they are never indifferent.