The Dublin-NYC Portal - which was temporarily shuttered after its May 8 opening when a "very small minority of people engaged in inappropriate behavior" - is set to be relocated within New York City.
The Portal, which provides a virtual link between Dublin and New York City, will go dark in NYC in just a few weeks as a new locale is pursued.
"While the Portal's time at the Flatiron Plaza in NYC is coming to an end as our temporary permit concludes on September 2, this is just the beginning for the Portals artwork," Nicolas Klaus of the Portals organization told IrishCentral on Wednesday.
"We are relocating the NYC Portal to a more permanent location, which will be announced soon.
"Furthermore, we will soon realize the original concept of the Portals, which involves a rotating livestream that connects all Portal locations worldwide—currently NYC, Dublin, Vilnius (Lithuania), and Lublin (Poland)—with more exciting countries, including Brazil, to come in the future.
"This brings the Portals closer to their true purpose, which is to serve as a bridge to a united planet, inviting people from distant cultures to meet above borders, differences, and narratives.”
Klaus said the organization is "incredibly proud" of how the Portals have been received in both Ireland and the US, noting that the artwork has "generated billions of online impressions" and "drawn thousands of daily visitors."
"In New York, foot traffic at the Flatiron South Plaza surged by 47% over the 2023 monthly average, while the Dublin Portal has welcomed over 200,000 visitors to date since its launch," Klaus said.
"The Portals have become vibrant hubs for cultural exchange, hosting events ranging from dance competitions to successful marriage proposals."
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In New York City, the Portal is presented by the Flatiron NoMad Partnership in collaboration with the New York City Department of Transportation’s Art Program (NYC DOT Art) and the Simons Foundation.
James Mettham, President of the Flatiron NoMad Partnership, offered similar sentiments to Klaus on Wednesday.
"Since the launch of the Portal, we have witnessed the profound connections that innovative art can foster within a neighborhood," Mettham told IrishCentral.
"New Yorkers and visitors alike embraced the Portal, doubling foot traffic in our district’s public spaces and enhancing the vibrancy of the Flatiron South Plaza.
"As we continue to innovate and create dynamic experiences in Flatiron and NoMad, the Portal, always planned as a temporary installation, will be removed on September 2 to embark on a new phase in its journey with an exciting destination to be announced soon.
"We extend our deepest gratitude to the Simons Foundation, NYC Department of Transportation Art Program (NYC DOT Art), Dublin City Council, and the Portals team for their partnership and support in launching this project.
"Their collaboration has been instrumental in making the Portal a landmark experience in Flatiron and NoMad, and we look forward to what’s next."
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Meanwhile, Benediktas Gylys, the creator of the Portal, told the New York publication Gothamist on Wednesday: “We have a couple of candidates that are very interested, but we are still not 100% sure about the location [in New York City].
“What we know is that the Portal will remain open and there’s no possibility of closing the portal.”
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