Mierle Laderman Ukeles, an 86-year-old artist, is the subject of a new documentary entitled “Maintenance Artist”. The title refers to Ukeles’ 1969 manifesto, in which she labelled everyday chores – cleaning, changing diapers, and so on (usually taken care of by women) – “maintenance art”.
Seven years after that manifesto, Ukeles’ conceptual work inspired critic David Bourdon to suggest municipal work (trash collection, parks and recreation, etc.) could be conceptual art. Perhaps it could get funded by grants, rather than New York City, in the midst of the 1970s financial crisis. For Mierle, New York serves as a continuous source of inspiration.
That might not have exactly panned out, but Ukeles’ influence is the worthy subject of the film, which debuted at the IFC Theatre in late April.
Ukeles’ influence
Some of Ukeles’ famous works include Maintenance Art Tasks, a collection of photographs of household activities performed by her and her husband; The Work Ballets, which took place over thirty years in several cities; and Birthing Tikkun Olam, an interactive piece of glass mirrors.
She has been referred to as New York’s “trash artist”, having collaborated with Sanitation Department commissioner Anthony T. Vaccarello, who commissioned Ukeles to create art for 10,000 workers. Her role with the department has been unpaid for almost 50 years.
In those decades, Ukeles’ work has earned her several major awards and honorary doctorates from schools such as Maine College of Art and the School of Art Institute of Chicago. She was recognized by the Jewish Cultural Achievement Awards in 2003: many of her pieces, as reported by Jewish Telegraphic Agency’s Jackie Hajdenberg, have been inspired by Jewish values. Ukeles is the daughter of a rabbi and advises students of Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Israel.
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Though she prefers not to be labeled a Jewish artist for fear of categorization, Ukeles has said she has “many deep beliefs in great Jewish ideas”. Her works show a great reading of Jewish texts and philosophy, according to Jewish director Toby Perl Freilech. The filmmaker said her art emphasized concepts such as everyone being created in God’s image and everyone being deserving respect.
Some of Ukeles’ pieces that may be considered Jewish paintings or artworks emphasize these universal concepts; Freilech told Unpacked last year that Ukeles’ focus on environmental issues was important to her story and the film. He said one of the main takeaways of the documentary was the harm of today’s hyper-consumerism.
Where to watch the film
As reported by Hajdenberg, “Maintenance Art” debuted in Greenwich Village. It will be shown across many theatres in the US, Canada, and Europe. A full list of screenings is available at the documentary’s dedicated website: “Maintenance Artist” will be shown at several festivals including Seattle International Film Festival and Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival.
It is the first film about Mierle Laderman Ukeles, who was the Department of Sanitation’s first artist-in-residence, and is described as “funny” and “provocative” by the website. Filmmaker Magazine called the documentary “riveting” and one of the most anticipated films of last year’s Tribeca Festival. NBC New York said it was “visually explosive”.
