In 2003, a group of artists moved into a 750-square-foot space in a mall in downtown Providence, Rhode Island, planning to stay only a day or week. However, they stayed for four years, transforming the space into their home, where they ate, slept, and worked on art projects.
The group faced challenges, including lack of running water and public bathrooms, but they made the space functional using materials like tape art. Their sanctuary remained until 2007, when security officers discovered them and arrested Michael Townsend, the group’s leader.
Townsend denied over 30 filmmakers who approached him about his experience before working with director Jeremy Workman on a new documentary, “Secret Mall Apartment.” The film premieres this weekend at the mall where the artists stayed, using 24 hours of video recordings from 17 years ago as its core.
The footage shows the group’s collaborative art projects, including their usage of tape to interact with public spaces. Their works often featured impermanence, such as a 2001 project that created giant hearts across New York City streets.
Townsend and Workman describe the mall apartment project as a performance or interactive installation rather than a crime or prank. The film offers a personal touch, honoring the artists’ secret shared space, which was ultimately a friendship.
“Secret Mall Apartment” will screen at the IFC Center in Manhattan from March 26 to April 3.
Source: https://hyperallergic.com/998662/a-group-of-friends-walks-into-a-mall-and-stays-for-four-years