Screening: MAINTENANCE ARTIST

Join us for an inspiring screening of MAINTENANCE ARTIST, the first feature documentary dedicated to the groundbreaking career of artist Mierle Laderman Ukeles. 🌍✨

In 1977, Ukeles posed a provocative question: “After the Revolution, who’s going to pick up the garbage on Monday morning?” This inquiry blurred the lines between art and daily labor, as she became the first artist in residence at New York City’s Department of Sanitation. Her innovative collaborations with municipal workers infused art into the very fabric of the city, transforming how we understand creative practice.

Drawing inspiration from Marcel Duchamp, Ukeles championed the idea that routine maintenance—from changing diapers to cleaning city streets—could be forms of performance art.

MAINTENANCE ARTIST features exclusive archival footage that details a half-century of social and artistic change, all viewed through the lens of vital labor and public art. This film also honors Ukeles’s call for a “Maintenance Revolution,” acknowledging the courage and dedication of those who keep our world functioning.

The screening will be introduced by multimedia artist Debra Scacco, the first civic-appointed artist in residence in the City of Santa Monica’s Water and Waste divisions (2023–25). Don't miss this remarkable event that celebrates both the artists and the workers who deserve to be recognized!

👉 Learn more!