479

Arte Útil archive nr:

479

Initiator:

Jill Miller

Location:

US

Category:

politics, economy, social

Users:

Mothers, babies, and social media supporters

Maintained by:

The Andy Warhol Museum (Pittsburgh Biennial exhibition), Jill Miller, Tara McElfresh, Daisy Klaber, Trivia Guru, Michael Bennett, Brandon Boan, Vanessa Manz, Vicky Yuh, Caitlin Boyle, and donations.

Certification:

implemented

Duration:

2011 - ongoing

Jill Miller
-
The Milk Truck

Description:

The Milk Truck is a combination of guerrilla theatre, activism and slapstick humour. When a woman finds herself in a situation where she is discouraged, harassed, or unwelcome to breastfeed her baby in public, she contacts The Milk Truck. The truck summons social media supporters and arrives to the location of the woman in need, providing her with a shelter for feeding her baby. A giant boob is attached to the roof of the converted ice cream truck, creating a spectacle, which incidentally is the very thing that the shopkeeper tried to avoid. Artist Jill Miller created The Milk Truck when The Andy Warhol Museum invited her to participate in their Pittsburgh Biennial exhibition.

Goals:

Raise awareness of Pennsylvania and of other states' breastfeeding-in-public protection laws; educating people on the benefits of breastfeeding to the child, the mother, the family and the community.

Beneficial Outcomes:

Pittsburgh Board is planning to focus on distributing supportive breastfeeding bags to interested mothers when they give birth at local hospitals and birthing centres. Pittsburgh City Council declared September 13, 2011 "The Milk Truck Day," by official proclamation.

Images:

Jill Miller, The Milk Truck, 2011
Jill Miller, The Milk Truck, 2011