Portal (sculptures)

Not to be confused with Portals (initiative).

Logo of Portals, the organization creating the Portal series

The Portal is a series of sculpture attractions which videoconference between one another. Created by Lithuanian artist Benediktas Gylys, they are large, identical circular sculptures that are located in various public city spaces, connecting two cities together by displaying a livestream of each city along with a camera on top of the screen.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} Initially starting as a concept in 2016, the first two installations of the Portal series were unveiled in 2021 for the Vilnius–Lublin Portal. In 2024, the New York–Dublin Portal, the next two and most recent installations in the series, were unveiled.

Description

The Vilnius–Lublin Portal in Lublin

Each Portal is a large, circular sculpture featuring a screen and a camera. It connects with another Portal, both capturing and displaying a livestream of each other. It was designed by Vilnius Gediminas Technical University's engineering department as a reference to the wheel of time.^[6]

History

According to Portal creator Benediktas Gylys, the project began as a concept in 2016 "after a mystical experience."^[7] Through his Benediktas Gylys Foundation, Gylys partnered with Vilnius Gediminas Technical University to develop the first two sculptures in the series, which were placed in Vilnius, Lithuania and Lublin, Poland on 26 May 2021.^[8]

On 8 May 2024, another two installations in the series were placed in New York City and Dublin, Ireland, to create the New York–Dublin Portal. The Dublin installation is located on O'Connell Street, while the New York City Portal was placed at the Flatiron South Public Plaza.^[9][10] A few days after the installation, the portals in Dublin and New York were shut down temporarily following instances of "inappropriate behavior".^[11]

References

1. Smith, Ian (9 May 2024). "What is the 'portal' linking up Dublin and New York that's gone viral?". Euronews. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
2. Guy, Jack (9 May 2024). "Interactive art installation lets New Yorkers communicate with people 3,000 miles away". CNN. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
3. Miller, Ron (8 May 2024). "Always-on video portal lets people in NYC and Dublin interact in real time". TechCrunch. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
4. Chávez, María José Gutiérrez (27 March 2024). "The Portal is an art installation connecting New Yorkers and Dubliners through sculpture". The Architect's Newspaper. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
5. Anderson, Sonja (10 May 2024). "Through Newly Installed 'Portals,' New Yorkers and Dubliners Can Wave, Dance and Inappropriately Gesture to Each Other in Real Time". Smithsonian. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
6. Lyons, Kim (30 May 2021). "Vilnius, Lithuania built a 'portal' to another city to help keep people connected". The Verge. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
7. Snider, Mike (9 May 2024). "Mystical Portals now connect New York and Dublin, part of a bridge 'to a united planet'". USA Today. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
8. "PORTAL: An Interactive Bridge to Unity Connects Two Countries". Vilnius Gediminas Technical University. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
9. Tracey, John (8 May 2024). "Announcing Portal: Connecting New York and Dublin". Simons Foundation. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
10. Sharkey, Kevin (10 May 2024). "Where is the Dublin Portal providing a live link with New York?". BBC. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
11. "Dublin to NY Portal Shut Down Due to Inappropriate Behavior". TIME. 2024-05-14. Retrieved 2024-05-14.

External links

• Official website