On Saturday, Nicolina and Pérola Bonfanti unveiled the latest in the interactive street art project known as 13 Portals. Portal No. 5 is at 98 Avenue A. Every Saturday this summer, the pair will unveil a new portal. Participants have an opportunity to find one of 64 keys that gives them access to a final event on Oct. 5 that will reveal what the whole puzzle means.
Meanwhile, the Atlantic Cities features Nicolina and the 13 Portals in an article today:
The paintings tell a story rooted in research of numberology, ancient history, and science, according to Bonfanti, who served as an assistant professor at Rio's esteemed Escola de Artes Visuais do Parque Lage. But they are also just to put some beautify out where it's needed, added Nicolina — among regular people in their everyday lives.
This is the core motivation behind the Free Art Society — to free it from institutions, from economic barriers, and in the end, from people's own minds. Asked about the potential actual effects of these projects, she says, "Hopefully this opens other people up to be more expressive themselves. Creative expression is contagious."
And there's plenty of creative expression which each unveiling ... here's the scene for Portal No. 3 on East 10th Street from July 20....
Check out the 13 Portals website for more info. Read more about Nicolina here.
