Deborah Kass: OY/YO: Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University, Stanford, CA
"The fact that this particular work resonates so beautifully in so many languages to so many communities is why I wanted to make it monumental,”
-Deborah Kass
Brooklyn-based painter, printmaker and sculptor Deborah Kass is known for working at the intersection of art history, popular culture and identity -- particularly related to Jewish culture and elements of difference – all three of which come together in OY/YO. Commissioned in 2019, OY/YO greets visitors to the Cantor at its front entrance.
OY/YO explores the combination of imagery and language: “oy,” as in “oy vey,” is a Yiddish term of fatigue, resignation or woe; “yo,” is a greeting associated with African American slang. In addition, “yo” in Spanish means “I.” Each usage has been co-opted in popular culture. “The fact that this particular work resonates so beautifully in so many languages to so many communities is why I wanted to make it monumental,” Kass told the New York Times.
Visitors are encouraged to take pictures of OY/YO, share on social media, and tag @cantorarts.
