Mierle Laderman Ukeles: A History of Feminist Art and Social Change in the United States

Mierle Laderman Ukeles is a feminist artist working in conceptual and performance art. She rose to prominence during the feminist art movement of the 1970s but never achieved the fame of some of her contemporaries. This thesis will explore how her work fits into the feminist art movement and how her work continues to be relevant beyond second-wave feminism. Ukeles serves as the artist-in-residence for the Department of Sanitation of New York City, and this thesis will examine how feminist, conceptual, and performance art can work within municipal city systems as a powerful social tool.