Robot Alley Explained

Robot Alley
Wikidata:Q130527536
Artist:Robert B. Fortney
Completion Date:Ongoing
Medium:Mixed media
City:Portland, Oregon
Coordinates:45.5542°N -122.6728°W
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Zoom:13

Robot Alley is an art installation by Robert B. Fortney, located in an alley off Skidmore Street in Portland, Oregon.

Description

The interactive installation Robot Alley is located in an alley off Skidmore Street, between Borthwick and Kerby Avenues,[1] in the north Portland part of the Boise neighborhood. It depicts Stormtroopers, droids, Sith lords,[2] and other Star Wars characters. The project started as a DIY security system and has become an attraction.[3] [4] [5] The installation has cameras, facial recognition technology, a fog machine, LED lights, microphones, motion sensors, and a plywood AT-ST Walker by local artist Mike Bennett. Robot Alley creator Robert Fortney, who is also a film editor,[6] sometimes appears as "alter ego" character Plastorm, wearing armor and a helmet inspired by The Mandalorian.[7]

Reception

Robot Alley was included in the Los Angeles Times 2023 list of twelve family-friendly activities in the Portland metropolitan area. Neighbors to the alley have reacted positively, stating that it has cut-down on crime (as originally intended), and increased the sense of community.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Walk This Way toward Your Own Personal Portland Scavenger Hunt . 2024-10-22 . Portland Monthly . en-US.
  2. Web site: Eastman . Janet . 2020-09-03 . Portland Weird Homes Tour to take place live over Zoom . 2024-10-22 . The Bulletin . en.
  3. Web site: 2023-08-16 . 12 kid-friendly things to do around Portland, like meet robots and zip-line from trees . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20241009095638/https://www.latimes.com/travel/list/best-things-to-do-portland-family-vacation . 2024-10-09 . 2024-10-14 . . en-US.
  4. News: Kryza . AP . 2017-07-11 . There’s An Alley in North Portland Where Robots Will Call Out To You . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240520062127/https://www.wweek.com/technology/2017/07/11/theres-an-alley-in-north-portland-where-robots-will-call-out-to-you/ . 2024-05-20 . 2024-10-13 . Willamette Week.
  5. Web site: 2024-08-23 . Portland man fights neighborhood crime with art, droids and stormtroopers . 2024-10-14 . king5.com . en-US.
  6. Web site: Top 5 Unexpected Places to Find Art . 2024-10-22 . PDX Parent . en-US.
  7. News: Swindler . Samantha . 2023-02-18 . At Portland’s Robot Alley, droids and Stormtroopers speak to passersby . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230513033737/https://www.oregonlive.com/living/2023/02/welcome-to-portlands-robot-alley-where-droids-and-stormtroopers-greet-passersby.html . 2023-05-13 . 2024-10-13 . . Advance Local.

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