How did a group of eight artists not only identify an inaccessible crawl space in the then newly developed Providence Mall — but also move in furniture, build a wall, and install a door, lock and key?
The new movie “Secret Mall Apartment” by filmmaker Jeremy Workman explores not only how and why artist Michael Townsend created the apartment space, but also highlights the public and ‘stealth’ art he created around the country, including tape art memorials to 9/11 and Oklahoma City bombing victims.
The apartment caper ended four years after it began in 2003, when security guards discovered the space, but Townsend says that it’s only now, with the documentary footage, that what he thought of as private art space is becoming public.
Townsend joins host Robin Young to talk about the new documentary and his life as an artist.
This segment airs on April 2, 2025. Audio will be available after the broadcast.
