Maintenance Artist - Hartford Jewish Film Fest

Maintenance Artist dives deep into the extraordinary life and work of the woman who called herself the “artist-in-residence” of the Department of Sanitation — and made the invisible labor of cleaning, caretaking, and motherhood visible — and sacred. Through a blend of rare archival footage, striking visual compositions, and interviews with Ukeles, her colleagues, and the workers who became her collaborators, the film explores how a single artist transformed “maintenance” — the often-dismissed work of women and working-class people — into one of the most profound artistic and political statements of the twentieth century.

Premiering to acclaim as an Official Selection in Documentary Competition at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival, the film has since captivated audiences at DC DOCS, the Jerusalem Film Festival, San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, and others.

Followed by a Reel Talk with Toby Perl Freilich, Director of “Maintenance Artist” and Rachel Gerstein, Co-curator of the Wadsworth’s Jewish Art & Culture Research Project