The work uses culturally specific, yet universal lingo to communicate the collective pride and exasperation of living in New York. In a play on perspective, the sculpture alternatively reads “Oy” or “Yo,” depending on the viewer’s vantage point.

Temporarily installed in Brooklyn Bridge Park, “OY/YO” instantly became a beloved visual icon and editions of the work have since been introduced into the permanent collections of The Brooklyn Museum, the Jewish Museum, and the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University.

In Kass’s own words, “I created OY/YO thinking about the American promise of equality and fairness and our responsibilities to make the country a better place for all...With hate and division now on the rise, it’s urgent to see our commonalities, what we share and what brings us together”