Shared Studios, the creator of a public art initiative called ‘Portals’, has chosen the campus of California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson as the site of its installation.
The ‘Portals’ that comprise the project are shipping containers painted gold, which house immersive technology that allows people to engage with others around the world, provided the other person is also in an identical portal.
The portals enable people to have in-depth conversations about issues that matter to their community, and are historically used to discuss matters of criminal justice. There is no limit on the subjects that can be discussed by this method, and both individuals and groups are welcome to participate. However, it is necessary to reserve time in the portal. Slots lasting 20 minutes are available via the website.
The conversations taking place via the portals are recorded, the participants are made anonymous, and then the recordings are analyzed by scholars at Yale University who are interested in policing. Participants in the portals project have included John Kerry, Ewan McGregor, and former President Barack Obama.
The portal is open now, and will be available until the end of the current fall semester. The hours are from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm, Monday through Thursday. The portal is on the campus on Victoria Street, next to the University Theatre.
Projects like this could benefit if organizers work with a newsletter printing company to create a letter explaining the installation, and distributing it near the campus.
