Leandro Erlich, the Argentine contemporary artist known for his "Swimming Pool" permanent installation at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, is currently holding his solo exhibition, "Leandro Erlich: The Reality of Seeing," at the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi until April 1, 2018. This article reports on the highlights of this exhibition, featuring 44 interactive works, including new works. From large-scale installations to videos, Erlich's works use optical illusions to challenge the viewer's conventional wisdom, making them enjoyable for everyone, from adults to children, even those unfamiliar with contemporary art. What's more, photography is permitted in the interactive works. "Reflecting Port," appearing immediately inside the entrance, is a three-dimensional work that looks like a boat floating and rocking on real water. From here, you've already stepped into Erlich's "mysterious world." The next room features works that transform everyday actions and landscapes into art, including "Clouds," which uses clouds to represent countries and islands; "Classroom," a work newly created for this exhibition; "View," a video installation that offers a glimpse into the daily lives of neighboring apartment residents through a window; and "Neighbors," in which viewers check footage seen through a small peephole in their front door. The exhibition also features a number of highlights in which viewers become performers, including "Fashion Rooms," a maze-like arrangement of 30 rooms that is being shown in Japan for the first time; "Beauty Salon," which plays on the belief that "if you face the mirror, you must be able to see your own face"; and "Building," a participatory installation in which viewers defy gravity by hanging or standing on a building. Eighty percent of the 44 works on display are being shown in Japan for the first time, making this the largest solo exhibition ever to introduce Erlich's entire career. "Hair Salon"
"Habits and preconceived notions are incredibly durable, controlling our reality and our perception of it to an extent that we probably don't even realize it. I hope that my works will give viewers an opportunity to think about this fact," Erlich says. As he explains, experiencing this exhibition is sure to give viewers a new sense of "reality." During the event, the following exhibitions will also be held as concurrent programs: "MAM Collection 006: Materials and Boundaries - Handywilman Saputra + Chiba Masaya," "MAM Screen 007: Yamamoto Atsushi," and "MAM Project 024: Dane Mitchell."