The ''Portal'' is a series of sculpture attractions which videoconference between one another. Created by

Lithuanian Lithuanian may refer to: * Lithuanians * Lithuanian language * The country of Lithuania * Grand Duchy of Lithuania * Culture of Lithuania * Lithuanian cuisine * Lithuanian Jews as often called "Lithuanians" (''Lita'im'' or ''Litvaks'') by other Jew ...

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. Initially starting as a concept in 2016, the first two installations of the ''Portal'' series were unveiled in 2021 for the

Vilnius–Lublin Portal The ''Vilnius–Lublin Portal'' is a public attraction that videoconferences between separate outdoor structures in Vilnius, Lithuania, and Lublin, Poland. Description The portal connects Vilnius, Lithuania, and Lublin, Poland, through larg ...

. In 2024, the

New York–Dublin Portal ''The New York–Dublin Portal'' (also simply known as ''The Portal'') is an interactive installation created by Lithuanian artist Benediktas Gylys to allow people in New York City and Dublin to interact with each other using two 24-hour live s ...

, the next two and most recent installations in the series, were unveiled.

Description

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.

History

According to ''Portal'' creator Benediktas Gylys, the project began as a concept in 2016 "after a mystical experience." 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 Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...

and

Lublin Lublin is the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the center of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin is the largest Polish city east of t ...

, Poland on 26 May 2021. On 8 May 2024, another two installations in the series were placed in New York City and Dublin, Ireland, to create the

. The Dublin installation is located on O'Connell Street, while the New York City Portal was placed at the Flatiron South Public Plaza. A few days after the installation, the portals in Dublin and New York were shut down temporarily following instances of "inappropriate behavior".

References

External links

*{{Official website, https://www.portals.org/ Sculpture series Tourist attractions 2016 establishments in Lithuania