The Gist Michael Townsend & Jeremy Workman: "Secret Mall Apartment"
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Oct 20, 2025 
Michael Townsend, an artist and key figure in the Secret Mall Apartment project, joins documentary filmmaker Jeremy Workman to recount the incredible tale of an eight-artist collective that transformed a hidden space within a mall into a home. They delve into the motivations behind this unique blend of art and activism as a critique of gentrification. Townsend also shares insights on creating a large unauthorized 9/11 memorial, while Workman discusses the impact of archival footage on their documentary and the shifting cultural significance of malls.
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Mall Occupation As Political Art
- The Secret Mall Apartment began as a direct protest against mall-driven displacement in Providence.
- Michael Townsend frames the occupation as both art and political countermeasure to gentrification.
Week-Long Mall Recon
- In 2003 Michael and friends staged a week-long recon called Week in the Mall to test living there.
- That experiment revealed the main problem: where to sleep while occupying the mall.
Prank That Doubles As Protest
- What sounds like a prank becomes meaningful when tied to broader art practice and political context.
- Workman emphasizes the project's layers: prank, protest, artwork, and social commentary.