Ron Baron's 'Ode to A Void' Installation at Studio 10 Explores Absence Through Ceramic Shoes

Ron Baron presented 'Ode to A Void' at Studio 10 in Brooklyn from October 12 to November 4, 2018. The installation featured a large spiral path of particulate matter across the gallery floor, with dozens of pairs of ceramic shoes placed rhythmically along it. These slip-cast shoes, collected from thrift stores, included various types such as work boots, ballet shoes, high heels, cowboy boots, sneakers, loafers, and baby shoes. Most were matte white with black-painted interiors, while some were ornately painted and glazed. The arrangement included children's shoes nestled inside adult ones and pairs marred by rusty nails, bound with wire, or riddled with holes. Bits of flowers and broken glass were strewn about the spiral. The darkened room was lit by four carefully calibrated spotlights. Baron discussed the work with Jonathan Santlofer on November 2. The installation evoked themes of loss, absence, and human finitude through the empty vessels of shoes, creating a silent procession toward the spiral's center. The piece aimed to make abstract concepts visceral, using personal traces to address universal questions about memory and existence.