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In 1987, James Luna, a Native American artist, lay in a display case in a museum setting to challenge the objectification and historical misrepresentation of his culture by institutions, urging viewers to reconsider the portrayal of Native Americans.

In 1971, Chris Burden's performance involved him being shot in the arm by an assistant, which was a radical act highlighting the violence in society and the vulnerability of the human body.

From 1994 to 2002, Matthew Barney's series of five films features elaborate performances exploring creation and system processes, touching upon themes of biology, sexuality, and mythology through a uniquely allegorical and multi-layered lens.

In 1920, Nikolai Evreinov directed a mass spectacle on the third anniversary of the October Revolution, staging a reenactment with thousands of performers. The intention was to commemorate and immortalize the revolution through performative art, blending reality and theater.

Originating in the 1960s, Hermann Nitsch's performances involve ritualistic elements and sensory experiences with the aim of challenging taboos and conventions regarding violence, sexuality, and religion, seeking a profound emotional and spiritual response.

Performed in 1983, Laurie Anderson's multimedia performance combined music, video, and spoken word to explore the complexities of American culture, technology, and communication, creating a pioneering work in the integration of technology and performance art.

In 1974, Marina Abramović created a passive performance where she stood still and invited the audience to use any of 72 objects on her as they wished, testing the limit of the relationship between performer and audience. Her intention was to explore the dual role of violence and trust in human interaction.

In 1972, Vito Acconci created an installation under a ramp in a gallery where he masturbated while speaking to visitors above through a microphone. The work explored themes of privacy, the public domain, and the artist's interaction with the audience.

In 1989, the Guerrilla Girls addressed gender and racial inequality in the art world with a poster campaign spotlighting the underrepresentation of women and minority artists in museums. They aimed to challenge the status quo and provoke discussions about feminism and discrimination in the arts.

In 1974, Nam June Paik's art piece featured a statue of Buddha opposite a live feed of itself through a camera and TV monitor, creating a closed-circuit loop that plays with the idea of self-observation and the intersection of technology and spirituality.

In the mid-1970s, Adrian Piper created a persona, The Mythic Being, walking the city streets in attire stereotypically associated with African-American men. Through this, she aimed to expose and question societal roles, identity and the nature of the 'self'.

In 1998, Tracey Emin's performance piece presented her own unmade bed in the gallery space, surrounded by personal objects suggesting a recent emotional upheaval. This intimate display sought to question the public and private personas and confront taboos related to female sexuality and personal space.

Performed for the first time in 1964, Yoko Ono sat on stage and invited the audience to cut pieces off her clothing. The work touches on themes of materialism, gender, class, and cultural identity, pushing the boundaries of the relationship between the artist and the audience.

In 2008, Tania Bruguera's performance incorporated mounted police officers controlling audience movement, reflecting on power, control, and political behavior. It served as a commentary on the interactions between institutions, power, and public behavior.

In 1959, Allan Kaprow's piece was one of the first 'Happenings,' where a scripted series of events unfolded in various spaces, inviting audience participation. It broke the barrier between art and life, challenging the traditional spectator role in art.

In 1974, Joseph Beuys spent several days in a room with a wild coyote, symbolizing the need for reconciliation and healing of societal wounds. His work was a commentary on the Vietnam War and America’s history of violence and genocide against its indigenous people.

From 1973 to 1980, Ana Mendieta's work involved creating shapes in various geographical landscapes, often using her own body or natural materials, aiming to address themes of displacement, feminism, and the connection between the human body and the earth.

In 1977, Marina Abramović and Ulay performed by sitting back to back, tied by their ponytails for 17 hours, symbolizing the dependency and struggle within relationships. They explored the vanishing point of individual identity within the union.

In 1975, Carolee Schneemann performed by extracting a scroll from her vagina and reading from it. Her piece was a feminist exploration of the body and the female experience, pushing back against patriarchal oppression of women's bodies and voices in the art world.