Leandro Erlich, the architect of illusion

What if reality were just a matter of perspective?

For more than twenty years, Argentine artist Leandro Erlich has been creating experiences that challenge our assumptions. Through monumental installations inspired by familiar architectural elements—swimming pools, elevators, staircases, windows, and building facades—he transforms the everyday into a realm of wonder and doubt. In his work, nothing is quite what it seems.

Internationally renowned for his iconic work *Swimming Pool*, Leandro Erlich invites visitors to become active participants in the artwork. The experience is no longer merely visual: it is physical, collective, and deeply sensory. By disrupting the mechanisms of perception, the artist reminds us that reality is often a mental construct, shaped by our habits and beliefs.

Seeing isn't always believing

Leandro Erlich has made a name for himself on the international scene through a unique practice that lies at the intersection of sculpture, architecture, theater, and installation art. Born in Buenos Aires in 1973, he has been developing an artistic language based on trompe-l’œil and immersive experiences since the 1990s.

His works often take ordinary spaces as their starting point. A building facade becomes a surface to climb, an elevator seems suspended outside of time, a window opens onto an impossible scene. In this way, the artist subverts the conventions of reality to provoke a slight shift in perception. This moment of disorientation lies at the heart of his work: when our points of reference waver, new ways of interpreting the world become possible.

"Swimming Pool," a work that has become iconic

One of Leandro Erlich’s most famous works is *Swimming Pool*, created in the late 1990s and now on permanent display at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa, Japan.

At first glance, it looks like a perfectly ordinary swimming pool. The water glistens on the surface, reflections dance on the blue walls, and a metal ladder seems to invite you to take a dip. Yet visitors quickly discover that it’s possible to enter the pool without getting wet.

The installation is based on an ingenious design combining glass and water that creates the illusion of total immersion. From the edge of the pool, visitors appear as silhouettes moving beneath several meters of water. From the inside, they observe the world through a liquid surface that is only apparent.

The work thus transforms the viewer into a protagonist. Those who watch and those who are watched swap roles in a constant play of perspectives. More than just an optical illusion, *Swimming Pool* becomes a reflection on how we inhabit space and interpret what we see.

A major retrospective at the Grand Palais

From June 2 to September 6, 2026, the Grand Palais will host the first major exhibition in France dedicated to Leandro Erlich. Billed as the most comprehensive European retrospective of the artist’s work, it will feature fourteen monumental installations as well as an extensive collection of models, photographs, and documents spanning more than thirty years of his creative career.

The exhibition immerses visitors in a world where architectural structures are disrupted, perspectives shift, and reality seems to be constantly transforming. The exhibition offers a chance to rediscover some of the artist’s major works, including *Swimming Pool*, which has become one of the most iconic images in contemporary art over the past twenty years.

This news from Paris underscores the unique position Leandro Erlich holds on the international art scene today: that of an artist capable of bringing together a wide audience through experiences that are accessible, playful, and deeply reflective.

Two photographs from the " Leandro’s Pool " series to explore

In light of this news, two photographs from the " Leandro’s Pool " series are currently available for purchase on the Private Choice website.

These images extend the experience of *Swimming Pool* by capturing that suspended moment when the gaze wavers between reality and illusion. They attest to the visual power of the installation while revealing one of the essential aspects of Leandro Erlich’s approach: his ability to transform a simple spatial arrangement into a poetic and collective experience.

Through these works, the artist reminds us that art is not just what we look at. It is also what shifts our perspective.

Leandro Erlich
Exhibition at the Grand Palais
June 2–September 6, 2026
Grand Palais – Leandro Erlich

Two photographs from the " Leandro’s Pool " series are available for purchase on the Private Choice website.

               Discover 2004 Leandro ERLICH “Leandro’s Pool” Kanazawa, Japan {A} Photograph 30 x 39.5 cm, framed            

               Discover 2004 Leandro ERLICH “Leandro’s Pool” Kanazawa, Japan {B} Photograph 30 x 39.5 cm, framed