The ''Portal'' is a series of

sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

attractions which

videoconference Videotelephony (also known as videoconferencing or video calling) is the use of audio signal, audio and video for simultaneous two-way communication. Today, videotelephony is widespread. There are many terms to refer to videotelephony. ''Vide ...

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. 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 large, pu ...

. 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 liv ...

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

Description

Each ''Portal'' is a large, circular

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 Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...

department as a reference to the

wheel of time The wheel of time or wheel of history (also known as '' Kalachakra'') is a concept found in several religious traditions and philosophies, notably religions of Indian origin such as Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism, which regard time as cyclical ...

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 Vilnius ( , ) is the capital of and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated January 2025 population w ...

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, 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, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

and

Lublin Lublin is List of cities and towns in Poland, the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the centre of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin i ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

on 26 May 2021. On 8 May 2024, another two installations in the series were placed in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

and

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

, to create the

. The Dublin installation is located on

O'Connell Street O'Connell Street () is a street in the centre of Dublin, Ireland, running north from the River Liffey. It connects the O'Connell Bridge to the south with Parnell Street to the north and is roughly split into two sections bisected by Henry ...

, 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 Videotelephony Interactive art