vincent leroy generates a new illusion of the eiffel tower seen through a giant kaleidoscope

vincent leroy imagines a new installation that alters the illusion of paris’s eiffel tower: les grands kaléidoscopes. the proposed installation is composed of encapsulated fresnel lenses between two safety panel glasses, creating a kaleidoscopic and fragmented visual of the well-known monument. like a magnifying glass in motion among the two trocadero museum buildings, les grands kaléidoscopes makes the famous eiffel tower disappear and reappear. 

all images © vincent leroy

leroy’s proposal makes the massive tower look light, fluid and almost volatile. it breaks down the steel metal architecture by invoking a new assembly. the vision seems to become disturbed and unreal as the repetitions become multiple and infinite. the close-up focus of its details becomes captivating. the glazed installation highlights the tower’s subtle mix of low technology and poetry that detaches viewers from the real world. 

leroy describes his new installation as ‘a real, giant photographic filter effect’. this installation questions the reality and accuracy of the human vision: what is real? leroy’s fragmented tower or the untouched monument? the blurry visual becomes an enigmatic and intriguing game. an original musical composition was created for the installation by jérôme echenoz from adorable studio. composed mainly of sounds found in the eiffel tower such as its elevator, steel metal and people walking on it, this sound is synchronized with the movement of the piece. the result is a perfect combination of space, movement and sound, offering a completely new way to experience the eiffel tower. 

project info:

project name: les grands kaléidoscopes

location: trocadero esplanade, paris, france

artist: vincent leroy

sound design: jérôme echenoz / adorable studio 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.