Explore the Era

Delve into the postwar Los Angeles art world in this online archive, which provides additional material related to the exhibitions on view at the Getty Center. Learn about hipsters and happenings, and the venues across the city where all the action took place through images from the archives and first-hand accounts with the artists.

Wolfgang Stoerchle
Artist

"Event" performance

Event performance at University of California, Santa Barbara, 1970, Wolfgang Stoerchle. Gelatin silver print documenting the event, unknown photographer. 9 15/16 x 8 in. The Getty Research Institute, 2009.M.16.1. © J. Paul Getty Trust

Wolfgang Stoerchle (1944–1976) was born in Germany and immigrated to Toronto with his family in 1959. After attending the University of Oklahoma, Stoerchle enrolled at the University of California, Santa Barbara. While there, he began experimenting with performance and sound art, graduating with an MFA in 1970. He performed throughout California with Miles Varner and Daniel Lentz in a group called California Time Machine. In 1970, Allan Kaprow recruited Stoerchle to teach in the Post-Studio Art program at CalArts. Encouraged by Nam June Paik, who was also teaching there at this time, Stoerchle began experimenting with video.

Historic Map Locations

Works of Art

  • "Event" performance

    Event performance at University of California, Santa Barbara, 1970, Wolfgang Stoerchle. Gelatin silver print documenting the event, unknown photographer. 9 15/16 x 8 in. The Getty Research Institute, 2009.M.16.1. © J. Paul Getty Trust

Explore the Archive

  • Video: Barbara T. Smith on art schools

    Video: Learn more about the region’s network of art schools with artist Barbara T. Smith