Robot Alley
| Robot Alley | |
|---|---|
 Part of the alley, and its creator Plastorm | |
 | |
| Artist | Robert B. Fortney |
| Completion date | Ongoing |
| Medium | Mixed media |
| Movement | |
| Location | Portland, Oregon |
| 45°33′15″N 122°40′22″W / 45.55418°N 122.67282°W | |
Robot Alley is an art installation by Robert B. Fortney, located in an alley off Skidmore Street in Portland, Oregon, United States. The installation started as a security system and has become an attraction. It depicts Star Wars characters including Stormtroopers, droids, and Sith lords.
Description
[edit]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's 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
[edit]Robot Alley was included in the Los Angeles Times's 2023 list of twelve family-friendly activities in the Portland metropolitan area.[3] Neighbors to the alley have reacted positively, stating that it has cut-down on crime (as originally intended), and increased the sense of community.[7]
See also
[edit]- Cultural impact of Star Wars
- Keep Portland Weird
- List of artists and art institutions in Portland, Oregon
References
[edit]- ^ "Walk This Way toward Your Own Personal Portland Scavenger Hunt". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ Eastman, Janet (2020-09-03). "Portland Weird Homes Tour to take place live over Zoom". The Bulletin. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ a b "12 kid-friendly things to do around Portland, like meet robots and zip-line from trees". Los Angeles Times. 2023-08-16. Archived from the original on 2024-10-09. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
- ^ Kryza, AP (2017-07-11). "There's An Alley in North Portland Where Robots Will Call Out To You". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 2024-05-20. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
- ^ "Portland man fights neighborhood crime with art, droids and stormtroopers". king5.com. 2024-08-23. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
- ^ "Top 5 Unexpected Places to Find Art". PDX Parent. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ a b Swindler, Samantha (2023-02-18). "At Portland's Robot Alley, droids and Stormtroopers speak to passersby". The Oregonian. Advance Local. Archived from the original on 2023-05-13. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
