The artwork “Washing/Tracks/Maintenance: Outside,” created by Mierle Laderman Ukeles in 1973, is a performance piece located at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Connecticut, United States. This notable work falls under the genre of performance art and was executed at the Wadsworth’s premises in Hartford. The photograph depicts Ukeles engaged in a task that involves washing the steps of the museum. The artist is captured mid-action, pouring water from a bucket onto the steps, with a focused and contemplative expression. She is accompanied by another individual, who can be seen in the background, holding a mop and standing in the doorway. The act of cleaning, usually a mundane and unnoticed chore, is elevated through this performance to a form of artistic expression, drawing attention to the often overlooked labor involved in maintenance.
