LEANDRO ERLICH
Leandro Erlich was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1973. His works have been exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Rome (MACRO) in Italy in 2006, MoMA PS1 in New York City in 2008, the Espacio Fundación Telefónica in Madrid in 2017, the Neuberger Museum of Art in New York in 2017, and many more. In Japan, Erlich's works have been presented at the Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale in Niigata Prefecture in 2006 and 2012, and at the Setouchi International Art Festival in Kagawa Prefecture in 2010. His work "The Swimming Pool" is on permanent display at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa Prefecture.
"When I first visited the SHIROIYA HOTEL, already under construction under Sou’s direction, I was impressed by his brilliant and innovative approach to this project: creating something totally new, while also preserving the pre-existing structure. I felt that I was witnessing a magical process in reverse, the creation born of demolition—which is really the nature of creativity. Watching Sou at work, I realized that this building would be like no other and that the incorporation of new ideas into the existing form would create a unique accomplishment. The result is a dynamic excavation that highlights the power of empty space and air. I felt, for a moment, as if I were inside Calvino’s Invisible Cities. One of these stories describes a building that is invisible to the eye but whose pipes and electrical tubes can be seen. I've envisioned this architectural detail as the veins of invisible creatures. This was the inspiration behind the Lighting Pipes that run throughout the building. Architecture is a manifestation of the human imagination and also a springboard for the creativity of the present moment, of the power of art to interface with everyday life."
LEANDRO ERLICH