RON HENGGELER |
The jars, is an ongoing artwork in progress that is now over 40 years old. There are over 1,200 glass gallon jars that are filled with the flotsam and jetsam of my life in San Francisco since moving here in 1974. Each jar is topped with a fanciful sculptural headdress. |
Having worked in San Francisco restaurants for 45 years, I've always asked the bartenders to save for me the gallon jars from martini olives and maraschino cherries. |
The jars are filled with my personal histories, stories, and memories. They are time-capsules, spirits, and familiars. I've always thought of them as kachinas. Many of the jars contain historical artifacts, some as far back as the 1700 Spanish days, the 1849 California Gold Rush, and the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire.A particular focus these days is to label and catalogue each jar. To date, I've now labeled 639 jars, out of the more than 1,200 in the collection. |
The 1915 Underwood typewriter that I am using to create the jar's labels. The catalog number on each label refers to more information about the jar in a Microsoft word document on my computer. |
Surrounded by over 100 jars, this 12ft. tall, 19th century San Francisco/Nob Hill-themed Christmas tree, is a construction that I created for the lobby of the Huntington Hotel on Nob Hill. It comes apart in five seperate pieces. It was used for three years in the lobby of the hotel during the holidays, but the ownership has changed (twice), and the tree now resides at home in the front room on the first floor of the house built in 1895. |
There are over 200 jars that are topped and wearing black headdresses. Those are the oldest jars in this collection, they are the grandparents, and most of them are over 40 years old. |
Jar 552 with its headdress |
Headdress for jar 552 |
Jar 559 with its headdress |
Jar 557 with its headdress |
Headdress for jar 58 |
Headdress for jar 592 |
Headdress for jar 85 |
Headdress for jar 85 |
Jar 530 with its headdress |
Jar 540 with its headdress |
Jar 512 with its headdress |
Jar 526 with its headdress |
Jar 525 with its headdress |
Jar 553 with its headdress |
Headdress for jar 553 |
Headdress for jar 513 |
Headdress for jar 595 |
The entrance into the lost room |
Headdress for jar 559 |
Jar 511 with its headdress |
(L) Jar 593 with its headdress(R) Jar 98 Homage to Sylvia McLaughlin |
Jar 518 and its headdress |
Headdress for jar 515 |
Headdress for 497 |
Jar 517 and its headdress |
Headdress for jar 517 |
Headdress for jar 516 |
Headdress for jar 631Homage to Donnie Tinsley |
Jar 508 and its headdress |
Sunrise on the last day of April in 2020 |
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