1932
born on September 15 in Los Angeles as a son of German immigrants
Biography
1952 – 53
studies fine arts at the University of California, Los Angeles
1955 – 59
studies painting, drawing, and design at the Chouinard Art Institute (Bachelor of Fine Arts)
1963 – 65
studies art and art history at the University of California, Los Angeles (Master of Arts)
1963 – 66
sculptures made of wood, leather, and other materials; teaches drawing at the Pasadena Art Museum, Pasadena
1964 – 70
first sound sculptures, experiments with the acoustic qualities of musical instruments, mechanical pianos and organs; teaches at Chouinard Art Institute, Los Angeles
1966 – 67
teaches at California State University, Los Angeles
1967
begins working with organ-pipes and optoelectronic programs
1971
teaches at California Institute of the Arts, Los Angeles
1972 – 74
Vice-dean of California Institute of the Arts, Los Angeles
photo: Hans Haacke
1974
guest lecturer at the Nova Scotia School of Contemporary Arts, Nova Scotia; National Endowment Grant for the development and work on sound sculptures
1975
works on Drum I, together with James Tenney, a work commissioned by Frank Oppenheimer at the Exploratorium, Museum of Science and Art, San Francisco
1975 – 76
Acting Dean at the California Institute of the Arts, Los Angeles; thereafter head of the sculpture department for five years
1976 – 77
DAAD artist in residence, Berlin
1976 – 80
experiments with the specific qualities of the sound of an object in relation to size and pitch; further development of electronic programming; study of systems theory and communication theory
1979
Guest Professor at the Hochschule der Künste, Berlin; marriage with Petra Kipphoff
1980
moves studio to Hamburg; Guest Professor at the Fachhochschule für Kunst and Design, Hannover
photo: Klaus Kallabis
1983 – 85
Professor at the International Sommerakademie für Bildende Kunst, Salzburg
1985
Rohrspiel (Hörspiel), Production Studio for Acoustic Art WDR, Redaktion Klaus Schöning
1986
guest lecturer at Kunsthistorisches Institut, Universität Hamburg
1987
Extended Schwitters (radio play), Production Studio for Acoustic Art WDR, editor Klaus Schöning
1988
Professor at the Internationale Sommerakademie für Bildende Kunst, Salzburg
1989
Extended Schwitters – a Transplantation (radio play), Production Studio for Acoustic Art WDR, editor Klaus Schöning
photo: Erika Schmied
1991
Scholar at the Getty Center of the Arts and the Humanities, Santa Monica
1992
Media Art Prize of the ZKM, Karlsruhe and Siemens Cultural Program, Munich
1992 – 97
Professor at the Hochschule für Gestaltung, Karlsruhe
1997
Guest of Villa Aurora, Pacific Palisades
1999
Guest lecturer at Historisches Institut of the Universität Basel
2000
dies on September 5 in Hamburg
unknown photographer