Strategy: Get Arts. SGA50
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35 artists who broke the rules

SGA50 celebrates the 50th anniversary of 'Strategy: Get Arts' (SGA) a landmark exhibition held in 1970 in the main Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) building.

The work of 35 post-war artists from Düsseldorf, including Joseph Beuys, Gerhard Richter, Stefan Wewerka, Blinky Palermo, Klaus Rinke, and Günther Uecker, transformed the college into a ‘total work of art’.

Find out more about the project

Klaus Rinke’s water installation at the entrance to ECA Main Building (August 1970). Photo

1. Klaus Rinke’s water installation at the entrance to ECA Main Building

Photo © George Oliver.

Stefan Wewerka’s ‘Bentwood Chair Action’ on the grand staircase with Klaus Rinke smashing chair (August 1970). Photo

2. Stefan Wewerka’s ‘Bentwood Chair Action’ on the grand staircase with Klaus Rinke smashing chair

Photo © George Oliver.

Blinky Palermo making his wall painting Blue/Yellow/White/Red (August 1970). Photo

3. Blinky Palermo making his wall painting Blue/Yellow/White/Red

Photo © Monika Baumgartl, and DACS 2021.

Daniel Spoerri reading from his menu for The Banana Trap Dinner in C.26, the old Boardroom of ECA (23 August 1970). Photo

4. Daniel Spoerri reading from his menu for The Banana Trap Dinner in C.26 (23 August 1970)

Photo © George Oliver, and DACS 2021.

Firemen from Edinburgh Fire Station outside Gotthard Graubner’s ‘Mist Room’ (Homage to Turner) in studio C.16 (24 August 1970).

5. Firemen from Edinburgh Fire Station outside Gotthard Graubner’s ‘Mist Room’ (Homage to Turner) in studio C.16 (24 Aug. 1970)

Photographer unknown. Richard Demarco Archive, National Galleries of Scotland.

Joseph Beuys holding up a blackboard during his performance event Celtic (Kinloch Rannoch) Scottish Symphony, in studio C.08.

6. Joseph Beuys holding up a blackboard during his performance event Celtic (Kinloch Rannoch) Scottish Symphony, in studio C.08

Photo by Jon Schueler. © Jon Schueler Estate, and DACS 2021.

Exhibition visitors in ECA studio C.07 with Joseph Beuys's installation, Arena (August 1970). Photo

7. Exhibition visitors in ECA studio C.07 with Joseph Beuys's installation, Arena

Photo © George Oliver, and DACS 2021.

This repurposed poster was used in August-September 1970 to promote the resumption of screenings after the police had confiscate

8. Repurposed poster used to promote the resumption of screenings after the police had confiscated films from Studio C.06

Photo © George Oliver.

Installation of visual text works by Ferdinand Kriwet in ECA's Sculpture Court for Strategy: Get Arts (1970). Photo

9. Installation of visual text works by Ferdinand Kriwet in ECA's Sculpture Court

Photo © George Oliver.

Heinz Mack’s aluminium foil cross sculpture and telegram ‘Make my Absence Positive’ (1970) in studio C.04. Photo

10. Heinz Mack’s aluminium foil cross sculpture and telegram ‘Make my Absence Positive’ (1970) in studio C.04

Photo © George Oliver, and DACS 2021.

Günther Uecker rigging up his ‘banging door’ installation in studio C.03 (August 1970). Photo

11. Günther Uecker rigging up his ‘banging door’ installation in studio C.03

Photo © George Oliver, and Günther Uecker. All rights reserved, DACS 2021.

Günther Uecker in his Sharp Corridor at ECA (August 1970). Photo

12. Günther Uecker in his Sharp Corridor at ECA

Photo © Monika Baumgartl, and Günther Uecker. All rights reserved, DACS 2021.

Joseph Beuys, The Pack, installed for Strategy: Get Arts (August 1970) in the Sculpture Department Corridor. Photo

13. Joseph Beuys, The Pack, installed in the Sculpture Department Corridor

Photo © George Oliver, and DACS 2021.

Reiner Ruthenbeck’s ‘Highland’ installation being assembled by Ruthenbeck and ECA students in studio E.21

14. Reiner Ruthenbeck’s ‘Highland’ installation being assembled by Ruthenbeck and ECA students in studio E.21

Photo © George Oliver, and DACS 2021.

Studio E.22 was used for the largest group display of artists.

15. Studio E.22 was used for the largest group display of artists

Photos © George Oliver.

Visitors to Strategy: Get Arts (1970) inspecting work along the first-floor south corridor (from E.22 to E.25). Photo

16. Visitors to Strategy: Get Arts (1970) inspecting work along the first-floor south corridor (from E.22 to E.25)

Photo © George Oliver.

Paintings by Gerhard Richter being moved by student assistants in preparation for Strategy: Get Arts. Photo

17. Paintings by Gerhard Richter being moved by student assistants in preparation for Strategy: Get Arts

Photo © George Oliver, Richard Demarco Archive, National Galleries of Scotland.

Gotthard Graubner’s paintings (Cushion Pictures) and Erwin Heerich’s construction in studio E.25. (August 1970). Photo

18. Gotthard Graubner’s paintings (Cushion Pictures) and Erwin Heerich’s construction in studio E.25

Photo © George Oliver, George Oliver Archive, National Galleries of Scotland, and DACS 2021.

The art critic Cordelia Oliver among glass containers by Erich Reusch and photographs by Bernd and Hilla Becher in studio E.25

19. Cordelia Oliver among glass containers by Erich Reusch and photographs by Bernd and Hilla Becher

Photo © George Oliver, and DACS 2021.

Hans Alvermann’s assemblage Homage to Goldwater - Gott mit uns (1964) and concentric text works by Ferdinand Kriwet. Photo

20. Hans Alvermann’s assemblage Homage to Goldwater - Gott mit uns (1964) and concentric text works by Ferdinand Kriwet

Photo © George Oliver, and DACS 2021.

Student helpers and Düsseldorf SGA curator Jürgen Harten in front of Sigmar Polke’s paintings Solutions I-IV (1969). Photo

21. Student helpers and Düsseldorf SGA curator Jürgen Harten in front of Sigmar Polke’s paintings Solutions I-IV (1969)

Photo © George Oliver, Richard Demarco Archive, National Galleries of Scotland, and The Estate of Sigmar Polke, Cologne/DACS 2021.

Adolf Luther’s Focusing Room in ECA studio E.10

22. Adolf Luther’s Focusing Room in ECA studio E.10

Photo © George Oliver, and DACS 2021.

Peter Brüning’s Diversion paintings on north corridor, as seen across the Sculpture Court, with Ferdinand Kriwet’s banners

23. Peter Brüning’s Diversion paintings on north corridor, with Ferdinand Kriwet’s banners

Photo © George Oliver, George Oliver Archive, National Galleries of Scotland, and DACS 2021.

Günter Weseler rigging up his Breathing Objects (1970) in studio E.11. Photo

24. Günter Weseler rigging up his Breathing Objects (1970) in studio E.11

Photo © George Oliver, George Oliver Archive, National Galleries of Scotland, and DACS 2021.

Joseph Beuys on Salisbury Crags, Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, on 7 May 1970. Photo

25. Joseph Beuys on Salisbury Crags, Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, on 7 May 1970

Photo © Richard Demarco.

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