‘Secret Mall Apartment’ Reveals Hidden Residence Inside Providence Place Mall

A new documentary explores the creation of a hidden apartment inside Rhode Island's Providence Place mall that went undetected for years. 

Created by filmmaker Jeremy Workman, the film, Secret Mall Apartment, reveals how, in 2003, eight Rhode Islanders created a secret apartment inside the busy mall. They lived there for four years, filming everything during their residence.

In the production, Workman lifts up his film as a genuine artistic project rather than a prank, while questioning the boundaries between life and art.

The film also features the work of interdisciplinary artist Michael Townsend, known for his Tape Art movement. This movement showcases large-scale tape displays in public spaces that foster community and remembrance.

A soundtrack by Olivier and Clare Manchon complements the narrative. It combines suspense, humor, and nostalgia, playing off the idea of imagination and artistic creativity.

Writing for The Daily Californian, Mikaela O'Brien noted that, “With the mall apartment, the artists sought to create a free, communal space inside an exclusive environment, emphasizing the arbitrary nature of ownership, challenging capitalism, and resisting gentrification.”

“We all continue to live in the shadows of these larger economic systems. Corporations come and remake our neighborhoods, and we're forced to adjust to their whims. We all are under the thumb of an increasingly commodified lifestyle,” Workman said in his director's statement to the film. “(It's) harder and harder to stand up and assert our identity. Secret Mall Apartment is a reminder to declare your presence and individuality in the most unlikely and unique ways.”

Secret Mall Apartment is now available to stream digitally on Apple TV, Prime, Google Play, and other streaming services.