NYC Portal: Art installation connecting New York to Dublin, Ireland closes to address ‘inappropriate behavior’
FLATIRON, Manhattan (WABC) — A new art installation in New York City that transports viewers more than 3,000 miles away to Dublin will temporarily close Tuesday to address some bad behavior.
The installation, called Portal, features two identical sculptures with a live visual feed connecting the two cities. It was inaugurated last Wednesday next to the famous Flatiron building.
It allows visitors to observe and interact with each other and has already attracted tens of thousands of visitors.
Although it has been less than a week since its debut, organizers realized there is a problem amid reports of inappropriate behavior, such as people showing body parts or putting profanities on screen.
“The overwhelming majority of visitors have behaved appropriately and experienced the sense of joy and connection that this piece of public art is intended to evoke,” Flatiron NoMad Partnership said in a statement. “Instances of inappropriate behavior come from a very small minority of Portal visitors and have been amplified on social media.”
Dublin City Council said in a statement that it was looking at ways to find a solution to bad behavior by keeping the portal open so that the good intentions behind it can continue.
On the New York side, Flatiron NoMad Partnership said there are a set of protocols in place since launch, including 24/7 on-site security and barriers to prevent the public from entering the Portal.
To implement those solutions, the Portal will be closed for a few days, starting at 3 pm New York City time on Tuesday, and will be back up and running at the end of the week.
Initially, the portals were to remain open 24/7 for the next six months until the fall.
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