Adele Bertei's Memoir Reframes No Wave as a Women-Led Movement
Adele Bertei's memoir, "No New York," published by Beacon Press in 2026, posits that the No Wave movement was a groundbreaking international collective of women artists. Bertei, known for her role as a keyboardist in the Contortions and her performance in "Born in Flames," illustrates No Wave's roots in Antonin Artaud's theater of cruelty. The book includes notable figures such as William S. Burroughs, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Sid Vicious, and Madonna. In addition, Bertei is developing a biography of Sinéad O'Connor and plans to direct an adaptation of Kathy Acker's "Pussy, King of the Pirates" at UCLA's Nimoy Theater.
Key facts
- Adele Bertei's memoir 'No New York' was published by Beacon Press in 2026.
- Bertei argues No Wave was the first significant international movement of women artists.
- Bertei was keyboardist for the Contortions and starred in 'Born in Flames.'
- The book features cameos by Burroughs, Basquiat, Sid Vicious, and Madonna.
- Bertei describes No Wave as based on Antonin Artaud's theater of cruelty.
- The Bloods were an all-female, all-lesbian band active from 1979 to 1981.
- Bertei is working on a biography of Sinéad O'Connor for Beacon Press.
- She will direct her first play at UCLA's Nimoy Theater, an adaptation of Kathy Acker's 'Pussy, King of the Pirates.'
Entities
Artists
- Adele Bertei
- Erica Dawn Lyle
- Lydia Lunch
- Nan Goldin
- Kathy Acker
- Barbara Kruger
- Kathryn Bigelow
- Kiki Smith
- Lizzie Borden
- Constance Burg
- Pat Place
- Ikue Mori
- Lizzy Mercier
- Alan Vega
- Madonna
- William S. Burroughs
- Jean-Michel Basquiat
- Sid Vicious
- Lester Bangs
- Thurston Moore
- Byron Coley
- Marc Masters
- Vivienne Dick
- Honey
- Patti Smith
- Janet Hamill
- Isabelle Eberhardt
- Federico García Lorca
- Amy Winehouse
- Maria Callas
- Sinéad O'Connor
- Jeanette Winterson
- Monique Wittig
Institutions
- Beacon Press
- UCLA's Nimoy Theater
- Contortions
- Bloods
- Bush Tetras
- Mars
- Suicide
- Au Pairs
- Malaria!
- Delta 5
- Slits
- Women's One World Festival
- Michigan Womyn's Music Festival
- Venus Weltklang Festival
- Bonnie & Clyde's
- YWCA
- Radio Caroline
- CBGB
- Mudd Club
- Max's
- St. Patrick's Cathedral
Locations
- New York City
- United States
- Lower East Side
- East Village
- Port Authority
- Ninth Street
- Third Street
- Berlin
- Germany
- Italy
- Amsterdam
- Netherlands
- Europe
- London
- United Kingdom
- Ohio
- Harlem
- New Jersey
- UCLA
- Empire State Building
Sources
- Momus —