The Facts
On October 22, 2026, Getty published a playlist tracing the no wave movement, timed to its October 23 screening of the documentary 'Nova '78'. The playlist explores the intersections of music, visual art, and performance in late-1970s downtown New York, featuring Patti Smith, Sonic Youth, Lydia Lunch, and the Contortions. It highlights the December 1978 Nova Convention, which gathered William S. Burroughs and others, and examines how no wave rejected conventional musicianship in favor of noise and confrontation. The release notes the porous boundaries between art forms, citing bands like Theoretical Girls, named after the Pictures Generation, and Y Pants, formed by artists who found instruments on the street.
The Signal
The playlist serves as a curatorial statement from Getty, framing no wave as a foundational moment for interdisciplinary practice. For collectors and curators, it reinforces the institutional canonization of the downtown scene. The focus on women artists signals a continued effort to recover their contributions within a historically male-dominated narrative. By tying the playlist to a film screening, Getty positions archival work as vital for understanding this period's creative ferment.
The Morning Signal · Daily
Enjoying this? Get the daily wire.
The art world in one daily email — auctions, openings, and acquisitions from 90+ primary sources, distilled into a five-minute read. Independent — no marketplace, no gallery ads.
Join collectors, dealers & curators
No spam · free every morning · unsubscribe anytime
- Artists: Patti Smith, Sonic Youth, Lydia Lunch, William S. Burroughs, Cindy Sherman, Barbara Kruger, Glenn Branca, Dan Graham, Kiki Smith, Brian Eno, James Chance, Arto Lindsay, Ikue Mori, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Lizzie Borden, Mayo Thompson, Pat Place, Julia Heyward, Laurie Anderson, Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, Robert Longo
- People: Sarah Cooper, Robert Christgau
- Galleries: Franklin Furnace, Artists Space, Fashion Moda, Tier 3
- Museums: Getty
- Locations: New York City, London
The Jobs Digest · Weekly
New art-world jobs, every Monday
The Jobs Digest rounds up the week’s new museum, gallery, and auction-house openings — with salary when disclosed. One email a week, unsubscribe anytime.
