There is a groundbreaking “portal” that connects two iconic cities and transcends barriers. New York City and Dublin officials unveiled a technology sculpture in their cities. The Portal connects people in the city that never sleeps with the Republic of Ireland’s capital.
The Portals
The two cities simultaneously debuted the public technology sculptures, NYC Portal and Dublin Portal, collectively called “The Portal.” A livestream allows real-time interactions between New Yorkers, Dubliners, and the many tourists in each city. It’s a testament to how far technology has come and the power of art that goes beyond physical barriers.
Each portal is set up at an iconic location in the two areas. NYC Portal is located on the Flatiron South Public Plaza at Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and 23rd Street. It’s next to the famed Flatiron building. Halfway around the globe is Dublin Portal which faces the capital’s main street, O’Connell Street. The portal’s setup offers viewers in NYC a look at the city’s famous GPO building and the Spire together.
This isn’t the first time a series of portals connected people from thousands of miles away. In 2021, the organization behind it all, Portals.org, installed portals in Vilnius, Lithuania, and Lublin, Poland. Right now, only the NYC and Dublin portals connect to each other. However, the founder of Portals wants the two to connect with the originals in Lithuania and Poland in the future.
“The one most misunderstood thing about Portals that sometimes frustrates me a little bit is that it’s not about connecting just two countries,” said the founder of Portals, Benediktas Gylys in an Instagram video from 2023, “Portals are sculptures that form a global network that is going to act as a bridge to a united planet.”
Portals Bridging a United Planet
Gylys said, “Every minute the connection rotates between multiple countries on Earth, inviting all of us to meet above borders and differences.” The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Daithí de Róiste, believes the portals make the city more inclusive. He said, “The Portals project embodies this, bringing together technology, engineering, and art to bring communities from across the world closer together and to allow people to meet and connect outside of their social circles and cultures.”
The portals pay homage to science fiction and bring a piece of fiction into reality. For example, there are obvious similarities to the popular video game “Portals.” However, the ones connecting the very real cities don’t physically take you to a different location. Additionally, the virtual portals don’t have audio. According to the site, that is intentional. Portals.org reads, “Portals invite us to meet above language barriers and connect using the only global language known to all humankind: body language.”
Each portal has the potential to bring cultures and humanity together using technology and art.
Gylys said, “In a world of increasingly polarizing narratives, it is essential to remember that we are all together on this tiny, beautiful spaceship called Earth.”
