The immersive and live stream portal connecting two bustling cities, New York City and Dublin, is set to leave the Flatiron District for a new spot.
This round-the-clock live-stream sculpture launched in May and quickly became a viral social media moment for Manhattanites and tourists.
The installation was created by Portals founder and artist, Benediktas Gylys, originally from Lithuania.
The idea to build a virtual link between countries started in 2016 when Gylys wanted to find a way to bridge international gaps, a passion further driven by the COVID pandemic.
Gylys told NBC New York that the Portal will be relocated to a new and more permanent NYC location due to the temporary permit expiring soon within Flatiron.
The virtual art had been temporarily shut down in the Spring due to previous “inappropriate behavior” and technical issues.
The Flatiron NoMad Partnership noted to News 4 the “profound connections” the art has fostered.
The Partnership’s president James Mettham told News 4 in a statement, “As we continue to innovate and create dynamic experiences in Flatiron & NoMad, the Portal, always planned as a temporary installation, will be removed on September 2nd to embark on a new phase in its journey with an exciting destination to be announced soon.”
