While performing maintenance art which included cleaning the statue “NOW” and also picking up trash around the USU, I felt a little uncomfortable because it was in the middle of campus. Although, I was a little uncomfortable at first it felt nice to help clean up the statue that was covered in dirt and to help clean up the campus.
Mierle Laderman Ukeles and Richard Serra both aimed to create art in both of their performances. Mierle Laderman Ukeles took a different approach to art than Richard Serra and chose to do “womens work” and clean the steps of an art museum. Richard Serra followed a different route and flung molten lead against the walls of the museum. I feel like both could be considered art because their intention was to create art.
I believe that Mierle Laderman Ukeles’ performance at the art museum was art because the intention of the performance was it to be art. Art could be anything as long as you intend for it to be art. If her performing “womens work” had the intention to be art then I would agree that it is art. If she was simply hired as a janitor it would not be considered art because she did not intend to create art she simply was just doing a job. It would only be considered art if she intended it to be so.
If someone intends something to be art then it is art. If the performance or object in question evokes some type of response or feeling from someone then it is art. If paintings are displayed in art museums and are intended to be art then they are art. If a painting in a house evokes some sort emotion from someone then it is art. If someone painting a house considers his work art then who am I to tell them if its art or not, if they intend for it to be art then it is art.
I’ve never really thought of “womens work” being considered art until now, and after discussing Mierle Laderman Ukeles I would consider it art if they had the intention to make it art. But I would not consider it art if the intention of it being art was not there. If I was just cleaning my house I would not consider that to be art. I’m simply just performing a chore and have no intention of it being art.
I found it interesting that people would get down on their hands and knees to clean a star of a celebrity that they do not even know. I personally do not think I would get down on my hands and knees to clean anyones star. I’ve been trying to think of someones star I would clean and no one immediately comes to mind, and if I can’t think of anyone to clean I don’t think I should just get down on my hands and knees to clean someones star who I don’t immediately think of.
Brielle Sunseri 