Works of art that use nails:

• Man Ray, Gift (1921)
• Günther Uecker, Nailed Nail (1962) (image not available), The Yellow Painting (1957-8), White Field (1964)
• Lothar Wolleh (photographer), Günther Uecker (1968)
• Kurt Schwitters, Construction for Noble Ladies (1919): The dada artist worked with a technique of hammering/nailing surfaces that we that today we might call assemblage. He influenced later artists including Robert Rauschenberg (look at his combines) and Jessica Stockholder. The artist's famous quote: "My name is Kurt Schwitters. I am an artist and I nail my pictures together."
• Eve Hesse, Accession II (1968)
• Thomas Hirschhorn, Chromatic Fire (2006)
• George Maciunas, Piano Piece #1 & #2 (1985)
• Nkondi or Nkonde (African nail fetish figures): wooden figurines in African voodoo rituals that transfer the evil spirits from a sick or injured person onto the fetish doll. Nails often serve a metaphorical purpose for the violent transference of sin or a cathartic release, the crucifixion as a well-known example (nailing Christ to the cross is tantamount to nailing one's sins to the cross).
• Chris Burden, Trans-Fixed (1974): The performance artist was nailed to the back of a Volkswagen in the form of a crucifiction. The Volkswagen was driven in and out of the garage driveway.