WASHINGTON, DC, USA – Shared_Studios’ DC Portal, a one-of-a-kind installation, was housed at the World Trade Center Washington, D.C.’s (Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center) Woodrow Wilson Plaza from June 5 to June 21. The Portal, a gold shipping container equipped with Wi-Fi, connected those who entered to someone in Tehran, Iran; Herat, Afghanistan; or Havana, Cuba. During its tenure at the RRB/ITC, 750 people entered the DC Portal. Those 750 people met 442 individuals from Tehran, Herat, and Havana.

“We are overwhelmed by the positive response to the DC Portal,” said John P. Drew, President and CEO of Trade Center Management Associates (TCMA), the group that operates the WTCDC and sponsored the DC Portal during its time on the Woodrow Wilson Plaza. “The mission of Shared_Studios, to connect people across the globe, aligns with the day-to-day work of TCMA. TCMA is committed to connecting cultures through unique experiences and we love to partner with creative organizations that do just that.” 

On the installation’s last Friday at the WTCDC, a live concert featuring three classical Iranian musicians was streamed directly from Tehran for 150 people. A clip from this event can be found here. The Portal also streamed a special dance performance directly from the Havana Portal on a separate occasion, a video of which can be found here.

DCist called the installations’ location on the Woodrow Wilson Plaza “a fitting one for a project seeking to bridge distances.”

Additionally, the DC Portal has been featured on WAMU, Al Jazeera, The Washington Post, Foreign Policy magazine, and on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos.

“The DC Portal is one-of-a-kind and truly innovative,” said Mr. Drew. “The concept behind Mr. Bakshi’s art is admirable and we are excited to have been a part of his success and journey to connect people in this unique way.”

More information on the World Trade Center Washington, D.C. (Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center) can be found here.

About TCMA
Trade Center Management Associates (TCMA) is the private sector building management and hospitality service provider, operating in a unique relationship with the U.S. General Services Administration, owner of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. TCMA’s mission is to be recognized in both the public domain and private marketplace as being the best in all three areas of its business offerings: five-star hospitality and the premier DC location to stage conferences and special events, highest quality building management operation, and America’s premier address for international trade services. 

About the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
The International Trade Center (ITC) is a preeminent forum in the heart of the nation’s capital advancing international commerce and cross-cultural dialogue. As a seamless, unifying framework, the ITC provides a platform for building connections, fostering diplomacy, growing businesses and creating a more prosperous U.S. and global economy.

The International Trade Center serves as the official World Trade Center Washington, DC (WTCDC). With this elite distinction comes the inherent responsibility to serve as a thriving international concourse featuring a premier address, critically acclaimed architectural design, state-of-the-art conference facilities and retail outlets. The WTCDC also serves as a civic center for the local business community.

About Shared_Studios
Shared_Studios is a multidisciplinary arts, design and technology collective focused on carving wormholes in the world. They ground the connective potential of new technology in physical spaces to create more accessible, secure, and meaningful encounters between diverse populations. Shared_Studios was created by artist Amar C. Bakshi.

PHOTO: Portals: A Global Public Art Project stationed at Woodrow Wilson Plaza connected people in Washington, D.C. to Tehran, Herat and Havana from June 5-21 2015.