Chloë Bass

Chloë Bass: Wayfinding, a meditative installation of sculptural signage, will be unveiled in Delaware Park and the Buffalo AKG campus later this summer. Installation of "Wayfinding" will take place between June 17 and June 21, with a celebration of the work on July 11 at Buffalo AKG.

Buffalo AKG Art Museum's press release follows:

The Public Art Initiative will present a long-term installation of Chloë Bass’s (American, born 1984) Wayfinding, a meditative installation of sculptural signage, throughout Delaware Park (designed by Frederick Law Olmsted) and the Buffalo AKG campus. This dynamic and engaging installation consists of gently evocative and quietly reflective signage. Through a combination of lyrical and narrative text and archival images, Bass’s sculptures activate an eloquent exploration of language, both visual and written, encouraging moments of private reflection in public space. The work revolves around central questions, poetically penned by the artist, such as:

• How much of care is patience?

• How much of life is coping?

• How much of love is attention?

From these simple yet profound prompts, the artist seeks to build a bridge between internal thought and external social and civic dialogue.

An evolving and ongoing project, Wayfinding first began at the Studio Museum in Harlem (2019–2020), before traveling to the Pulitzer Arts Foundation in St. Louis (2021) and the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles (2022–2023). For the upcoming presentation in Buffalo, the installation will feature 48 individual works, eight of which are newly created and directly inspired by the artist’s experiences visiting Buffalo earlier this year.

Discovery is a fundamental element of this installation. The work is meant to appear and disappear from view. There is no way to “see” the work all at once. There are only discrete experiences that add up to a larger whole, relying on the landscape and a viewer’s unique journey, the signs they notice, and the natural surroundings they observe.

"We are honored to have the opportunity to merge Frederick Law Olmsted's genius of place with the talents of Chloë Bass in this collaboration with the Buffalo AKG Art Museum," said Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Executive Director Catie Stephenson. "We hope all park-goers enjoy this installation and make it a part of their visit to Delaware Park while it's on view."

Installation of Wayfinding will take place between June 17 and June 21, with a celebration of the work on July 11 at the Buffalo AKG.

This installation is made possible by the Buffalo AKG Art Museum in conjunction with Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy.