Marina Abramovic: Exquisite Corpse

Between working with Gaga, finding a fan in James Franco, and dancing with Jay-Z at his "Picasso Baby" show, Marina Abramovic has taken a deep dive into pop culture this year. But Robert Wilson's first U.S. staging of the visually stunning The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic mines the Serbian performance artist's favorite subject: herself.

With Antony Hegarty (of Antony and the Johnsons) providing the haunting soundtrack and Willem Dafoe reprising his role as its narrator-slash-cabaret compere, Abramovic's painful story of abuse and self-abuse (she plays herself and her mother) is a must-see.

"I really believe that you have to sacrifice everything for the cause," Abramovic has said. In this case, the "cause" is raw, singular creativity.

Runs December 12-21 at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City.