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13th May 2024
03:55pm BST
The art installation which links a live stream of Dublin's North Earl Street and New York's Flatiron South Public Plaza has attracted large crowds on either side interacting with each other.
However, on Monday morning, passers-by noticed that the live feed had been cut. The operator of the portal has said is due to a "technical glitch" in the software.
In a statement, Portals.org said, "The nature of the project, providing a 24/7 livestream, is such that sometimes interruptions will occur due to technical glitches, maintenance or simple software updates.
"Our teams (portals.org and AVSPL) are doing their best to ensure smooth and consistent operations in order to come as close as possible to a 24/7 active live stream.
"The Portals artwork is being built in the open since 2021, visible and in real time for the world to experience. This means there will be challenges along the way, however, our small team will try their best."
Lithuanian artist Benediktas Gylys is the mind behind the portal linking the two cities and is a collaboration between the likes of Dublin City Council and the EU Capital of Smart Tourism.
Starting from mid-May, the project will feature scheduled programming, including cultural performances, including celebrating New York Design Week Festival.
However, the portal has also been the subject of a number of unseemly viral videos on the Dublin side, including a woman being arrested in front of it, someone reportedly showing a picture of the 9/11 attack on their phone and a man mooning some unsuspecting New Yorkers.
For the most part, though, the portal has been a big success, attracting crowds of people interacting positively.
Upon the portal being unveiled, Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithí De Róiste said: "I would encourage Dubliners and visitors to the city to come and interact with the sculpture and extend an Irish welcome and kindness to cities all over the world."
A similar portal is also located in Vilnius in Lithuania, as well as Lublin in Poland.
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