This article from Google News, dated May 3, 2026, profiles a selection of artists who have used their own bodies as central elements in their work. It draws a connection to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's spring Costume Institute exhibition, "Costume Art," which places fashion in dialogue with other artworks. The roundup includes Marina Abramović, known for her 2010 MoMA performance "The Artist Is Present"; Chris Burden, who staged dangerous works like "Shoot" (1971); David Hammons, creator of the "Body Prints" series; Frida Kahlo, whose painting "The Broken Column" (1944) depicts her own physical pain; Ana Mendieta, whose "Silueta" series used her figure in the landscape; and Yoko Ono, a conceptual artist with a significant body-based practice.
The article matters because it highlights a persistent and influential thread in contemporary and modern art: the use of the artist's body as both medium and subject. By linking these practices to the Met's fashion-focused exhibition, it underscores how embodied art forms—from performance to painting—continue to shape artistic discourse. The piece also touches on broader cultural and political dimensions, such as the ongoing legacy of Ana Mendieta's death and the protest surrounding her husband Carl Andre, reminding readers that body art often carries profound personal and social weight.