Ho Baron
Encyclopedia
Ho Baron is a sculptor living and working in El Paso, Texas
. His controversial pieces have been featured in shows, galleries, museums and public art installations in Arizona
, California
, Colorado
, Maryland
, Nevada
, New Hampshire
, New Mexico
, New York
, Ohio
, Oklahoma
, Texas
, Virginia
, Washington and Mexico
.
Baron creates anthropomorphic creatures from bronze
and cast stone. He calls these grotesque fantastic icons "Gods for Future Religions."
on the Mexican border, Baron earned a BA
and MA
in English
, writing his Master's thesis on Joyce Cary
's concept of the "artist as child," a guiding theme he still abides by. While serving in the Peace Corps
in Nigeria
and Ethiopia
, he became intrigued with primitive, intuitive African art
. Baron later lived in New York
, Philadelphia, Austin
, and the Virgin Islands
. In 1970, he settled in Antwerp, Belgium, working as the photographer for a cartoonists' collective.
In the late 70's, Baron returned to the United States and studied sculpture, first at the Philadelphia College of Art and later at the University of Texas, El Paso, though he is largely self-taught and his expression is intuitive. He earned a second Master’s degree
in library science, and after a stint in retail, he has worked part-time as a college librarian allowing him free time for his creative endeavors. A long-time proponent of the arts, he served on the City of El Paso Public Art Committee 2006-2007 and is currently on the board of the Texas Society of Sculptors.
Baron began his personal expression in the media of writing then progressed to the visual arts: photography, pen and ink drawing, painting and finally sculpture. He occasionally publishes a satirical political newspaper, The El Paso Lampoon. Baron has had photo exhibits and published a book of photos entitled El Paso: A Hoverview: 59 works. He was creator and D.J. of an electronic music radio program for ten years on N.P.R. In 2007, he began creating short videos of his sculpture.
Baron began sculpting in 1979 and eventually created more than 300 narrative bronze and cast stone figures. Baron’s theme is of the human form and he abstracts it with unique motifs of surreal imagery. His sculptures seemed to have "emerged from both the deepest levels of the ocean and the deepest levels of the subconscious." About the title for his collective work, Baron satirizes: "When society’s tired of its existing gods, it’s going to need new ones, and I’m ready."
. Baron also has pieces in the permanent collections of the El Paso Museum of Art
, the El Paso Museum of Archaeology and a permanent public art sculpture, A Novel Romance, at the El Paso Public Library.
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. His controversial pieces have been featured in shows, galleries, museums and public art installations in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Washington and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
Baron creates anthropomorphic creatures from bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
and cast stone. He calls these grotesque fantastic icons "Gods for Future Religions."
Biography
Born in Chicago in 1941 and raised in El PasoEl Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
on the Mexican border, Baron earned a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
, writing his Master's thesis on Joyce Cary
Joyce Cary
Joyce Cary was an Anglo-Irish novelist and artist.-Youth and education:...
's concept of the "artist as child," a guiding theme he still abides by. While serving in the Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, he became intrigued with primitive, intuitive African art
African art
African art constitutes one of the most diverse legacies on earth. Though many casual observers tend to generalize "traditional" African art, the continent is full of people, societies, and civilizations, each with a unique visual special culture. The definition also includes the art of the African...
. Baron later lived in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Philadelphia, Austin
Austin
Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas.Austin may also refer to:-In the United States:*Austin, Arkansas*Austin, Colorado*Austin, Chicago, Illinois*Austin, Indiana*Austin, Minnesota*Austin, Nevada*Austin, Oregon...
, and the Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
. In 1970, he settled in Antwerp, Belgium, working as the photographer for a cartoonists' collective.
In the late 70's, Baron returned to the United States and studied sculpture, first at the Philadelphia College of Art and later at the University of Texas, El Paso, though he is largely self-taught and his expression is intuitive. He earned a second Master’s degree
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in library science, and after a stint in retail, he has worked part-time as a college librarian allowing him free time for his creative endeavors. A long-time proponent of the arts, he served on the City of El Paso Public Art Committee 2006-2007 and is currently on the board of the Texas Society of Sculptors.
Baron began his personal expression in the media of writing then progressed to the visual arts: photography, pen and ink drawing, painting and finally sculpture. He occasionally publishes a satirical political newspaper, The El Paso Lampoon. Baron has had photo exhibits and published a book of photos entitled El Paso: A Hoverview: 59 works. He was creator and D.J. of an electronic music radio program for ten years on N.P.R. In 2007, he began creating short videos of his sculpture.
Baron began sculpting in 1979 and eventually created more than 300 narrative bronze and cast stone figures. Baron’s theme is of the human form and he abstracts it with unique motifs of surreal imagery. His sculptures seemed to have "emerged from both the deepest levels of the ocean and the deepest levels of the subconscious." About the title for his collective work, Baron satirizes: "When society’s tired of its existing gods, it’s going to need new ones, and I’m ready."
Selected works
Baron's surrealistic bronze, "The Free Thinker," is on permanent display at Baltimore's American Visionary Art MuseumAmerican Visionary Art Museum
The American Visionary Art Museum is an art museum located in the Federal Hill neighborhood at 800 Key Highway in Baltimore, Maryland and that specializes in the preservation and display of visionary art...
. Baron also has pieces in the permanent collections of the El Paso Museum of Art
El Paso Museum of Art
Founded in 1959, The El Paso Museum of Art is located in downtown El Paso, Texas. First accredited in 1972, it is the only accredited art museum within a 250 mile radius and serves approximately 100,000 visitors per year. A new building was completed in 1998...
, the El Paso Museum of Archaeology and a permanent public art sculpture, A Novel Romance, at the El Paso Public Library.