Argentine artist Leonardo Erlich is known for its project-illusions that defy all known physical laws. One of the most ingenious of his works – a pseudo pool with a secret. Sounds surprising, but this pool is designed for walking underwater along the bottom. The object looks like an ordinary classical swimming pool, but it is possible for people to walk on its bottom! When looking from the top on the water surface there is an impression that the pool is filled with slowly walking adults and children. How could the artist to create such an effect? The secret is ingenious and very simple — this illusion was made with the help of a specific glazing of swimming pool.

The secret of the pseudo pool

The thickness of the water layer in the pool is only ten centimeters, water is located between two thick acrylic sheets. All the space that visually belongs to the pool is actually free from water. Under the glass bottom is the room in which can be people. This space is decorated in the style of a standard pool – there are grates for drainage, illumination system, ladder and suitable decorations, so the picture is very realistic.

The visitors walk along the bottom of the pseudo pool, climb up the ladder. The spectacle is equally amazing from the both angles. From the bottom visitors can see the water over their heads and watch with interest the reaction of those who looks down on “underwater residents”. And looking at the glass pool from the top, people have an opportunity to observe the “prisoners” of pseudo pool. The main task of the author of the project is to mislead, to disorient the viewer, to confuse, to change the idea of the usual things, but to cause a genuine admiration and delight.

The first pseudo pool by Leonardo Erlich was built in the art Museum of the 21st century in a major Japanese city Kanazawa. Shortly after the opening of the Japanese installations, the same pool was built in New York. A pool-illusion is very popular – there are crowds of people who wants to look at the mysterious object. Everyone has an opportunity to look at the pool from the top and visit the “depth”.

Such the miracles are possible with the help of the acrylic glazing. It is possible that once such an object will appear in our country, and then each of us will be able to walk along the bottom of the pool and to become a spectator of the water-acrylic miracle.