"Secret Mall Apartment" * No Spoilers* fascinating documentary on Netflix
Michael Townsend was an Art instructor at the Rhodes Island School of Design. He and initially 3 students found an empty or dead space in the massive mall in Providence. 4 more students were let in on it soon after they start.
This mall was built where the old pretty crappy “empty” buildings used as living spaces, studios, and clubs by a rather robust Providence art community had been.
They created an apartment or really a hang out place. They furnished it and even added a wall and a locking door. They had several ways to get to the apartment.
It draws you in with that part of the story but expands from there. They go on to do tape art with kids in the children’s hospital, tape art in OKC after the bombing, and The Hope Project depicting every NYC firefighter (and I think police) who died on 9/11 - these were created in the shape of a ❤️ around a fairly large part of Manhattan. Oh and Mike did really incredible installation art project you’ll have to see to believe.
The documentary touches on gentrification, capitalism, community, living art, and their own admitted white privilege when they get out of a run in with security.
Highly recommend it especially if you are looking for a distraction from the news. Stay for the post script
