Films

Maintenance Artist

Four people sitting on barstools in a diner.

Join us for a discussion with filmmaker Toby Perl Freillch and Mierle Laderman Ukeles, in person

What happens when high art takes on trash? This documentary explores the groundbreaking work of artist Mierle Laderman Ukeles, who has been the artist-in-residence at the New York City Department of Sanitation and a revolutionary force in contemporary art since the 1960s. The film highlights how Ukeles' deeply humanistic approach to Jewish tradition inspires her secular work. (Toby Perl Freillch, 2025, 92 minutes)

Programmed in partnership with the 2025 DC/DOX Film Festival

Image caption: Still from Toby Perl Freillich’s Maintenance Artist (2025) courtesy of Framework Films 

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