Workshop: Hana Miletic

Documenting Acts of Maintenance

In a workshop led by textile artist Hana Miletić, students explored the often-overlooked acts of maintenance in public and semi-public spaces. They were tasked with observing and documenting everyday maintenance activities such as include cleaning, repairing, protecting, mending—drawing inspiration from Mierle Laderman Ukeles’ Manifesto for Maintenance Art. The format was open-ended, encouraging students to translate these ephemeral moments into artistic expressions. Each documented act was named, giving it a distinct frame and focus.

During the workshop, students brought their collected materials and transformed them into zines, drawing on the work of Mladen Stilinović, known for his poetic and politically engaged approach to everyday life. The resulting zines became a tactile archive of care—small booklets capturing the nuances of repair and sustainance in urban surroundings. Through this process, maintenance was reframed as an artistic gesture, linking Miletić’s textile-based work with broader discussions on labor, visibility, and artistic production.

The workshop was part of the seminar Textile Research by Ebba Fransén Waldhör, focusing on textiles in public space.