Erlich’s installations resemble stage sets where familiar, everyday spaces – an elevator, a classroom, a train ride – suddenly start to behave in unexpected ways. The exhibition moves from quiet wonder to active participation: the viewer is not just a bystander but an essential part of the artworks. Illusions that defy the rules of architecture, gravity, and perspective unsettle our sense of reality and raise questions: Can we trust our senses? And what about the things we believe to be true?
The journey begins with the dreamlike work Cloud and continues through Sidewalk, Lost Garden, and Elevator Maze, culminating in the iconic Bâtiment where a Helsinki Art Nouveau façade turns into a surreal playground. Here, people appear to float weightlessly and walk on walls – and eventually, the viewer becomes part of this magical scene.
From the artist’s perspective, these works can be seen as a collection of short stories, each with its own narrative. Erlich explores reality through the lenses of seeing, perception, and interaction, creating installations that challenge us to look at the familiar with fresh eyes. In the exhibition, these stories intertwine into a whole that transforms our understanding of what the world around us could be. It offers space for wonder, play, and imagination and reminds us that reality can sometimes be stranger than fiction.
At Amos Rex, Leandro Erlich’s work is presented for the first time in Finland and the Nordic countries. The exhibition is curated by Anastasia Isakova and Kai Kartio.
