Artist Gets Probation For Building Secret Mall Apartment

This is truly grand. Michael Townsend, Rhode Island artist, recently. . . well, read the post title. It's all over now, but what a grand time it must have been. Remember, these people occupied this apartment in the Providence Place Mall for weeks at a time for four years. This is something of a dream for anyone who's ever built a living room fort. I suppose I'll have to settle for fitting my future home with a panic room.



The impetus for the secret apartment:

"During the Christmas season of 2003 and 2004, radio ads for the Providence Place Mall featured an enthusiastic female voice talking about how great it would be if you (we) could live at the mall. . . This, along with a wide variety of theoretical musings about my relationship to the mall - as a citizen and public artists - provided the final catalyst for making the apartment. From those Christmas seasons to the present, I have spent the time to quietly create this space and occupy it from time to time.

Plans to finish the kitchen, install the wood flooring, add a second bedroom and replace the outdated cutlery were put on permanent hold recently as I was apprehended leaving the apartment."

Visit the man's website for the complete rundown or the Boston.com article for the typical joyless news rundown.


One final note:

"Providence Police Major Stephen Campbell said he and other detectives were so intrigued they visited the apartment to see for themselves.

'I was surprised at what he was able to accomplish," Campbell said. [Childlike look of wonder leaves his eyes as he remembers his duty.] "But what he did was clearly criminal. The mall is private property.' "

Note: boingboing again.