An art project connecting Dublin and New York via a live video “portal” has been temporarily stopped less than a week after its inauguration due to incidents of misconduct.
The portal, which has a continuous live video displayed on giant circular screens in both towns, was designed by Lithuanian artist Benediktas Gylys. Each structure, weighing 3.5 tons, had a 2.4-meter-diameter screen.
It is located at the intersection of Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and 23rd Street in New York. In Dublin, it is located at the intersection of North Earl Street and O’Connell Street.
The Dublin-New York art portals was put in place to encourage a sense of connectivity between distant locations
The portals were put in place to encourage a sense of connectivity between distant locations.
However, accusations have surfaced of people engaging in “inappropriate behavior,” such as displaying swear words. Some even flashed their body parts, while a few Dublin residents even broadcast footage of the 9/11 attacks to New York viewers.
Dublin City Council and the Flatiron Nomad Partnership, which was in charge of the installations, acted quickly to resolve the situation.
The council declared plans to implement technical solutions within 24 hours to prevent similar behavior, while the Flatiron revealed intentions to install software updates and increase on-site staff and barriers.
In an effort to rectify the situation, the portal remained inactive on Monday and Tuesday (May 13-14).
Dublin City Council was disappointed that their initial approach, which included blurring, was deemed inadequate.
“Dublin city council had hoped to have a solution in place today, but unfortunately the preferred solution, which would have involved blurring, was not satisfactory,” it said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Flatiron Nomad Partnership stated that the inappropriate behaviors were committed by a “very small minority” and that the vast majority of visitors interacted appropriately with the artwork, experiencing the intended sense of joy and connection.
While most interactions involved friendly gestures and playful exchanges, some incidents, including egg-throwing and displaying offensive imagery, led to the temporary shutdown.
Founder of the portal and artist Gylys said, “Portals are an invitation to meet people above borders and differences and to experience our world as it really is—united and one.”
