Unveiling the Hidden Residency: A Group of Artists Evaded Detection within Providence Place Mall, Featured in a Documentary Detailing Their Unconventional Lifestyle
In the heart of Providence, Rhode Island, a group of eight local artists made headlines in 2003 when they covertly transformed a 750-square-foot corridor inside the Providence Place Mall into a secret apartment. Led by Michael Townsend and Adriana Valdez Young, this clandestine project was a bold statement against the mall's development, which had encroached on their Eagle Square neighbourhood and resulted in displacement.
The artists lived in the apartment for brief periods, using it to document mall life and create art. The space remained hidden for over four years, with a cinderblock wall concealing it. Despite the occasional setback, such as a burglary that saw their PlayStation 2 stolen, the artists persevered, installing a wooden floor, creating a home-like environment, and even using a waffle maker.
However, in 2007, the secret was exposed when Michael Townsend was caught showing the apartment to a friend during mall hours. He was charged with trespassing and sentenced to probation, with the mall banning him for life. The story received national attention but gradually faded into local urban legend.
Fast-forward to 2024, and filmmaker Jeremy Workman completed a feature documentary titled "Secret Mall Apartment" about this extraordinary project. The film, which premiered at SXSW in March 2024, reintroduces the story to the public, offering a nuanced picture of the artists' protest against development and gentrification. In anticipation of the documentary's release, Providence Place Mall lifted the lifetime ban on Michael Townsend, allowing him to attend screenings, including one at their own theater inside the mall.
The documentary delves into the artists' commitment to their secret apartment and their broader artistic and charitable work. It explores themes such as capitalism, housing, and creativity, receiving critical acclaim for its thought-provoking content.
Today, malls across America are facing similar challenges, with many closing or being repurposed. Providence Place itself is under receivership, and its owners are debating how to save it by making it partially residential or entertainment space. In this context, the secret mall apartment project seems like a sneak peek at how malls might be used differently. It showed that empty or forgotten spaces can hold real lives, real art, and real homes.
The story of the secret mall apartment proves that imagination, sneaky planning, and passion can turn ordinary places into something amazing. It serves as a reminder that space should be more than just stores—it can be a home, a clubhouse, an art space, and a protest all in one.
- The artists, living in the covertly created secret apartment within Providence Place Mall, utilized it not just as a residence but also as a platform to document mall life and create art, showcasing that a mall can double as a home-and-garden, art features, and lifestyle environment.
- In the documentary "Secret Mall Apartment," Jeremy Workman highlights how the artists' commitment to their clandestine project was a bold cultural statement against development and gentrification, demonstrating that spaces can be more than just stores, instead serving as homes, clubhouses, art spaces, and protests all in one.
