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Secret Mall Apartment: Artists' Defiant Stand Against Gentrification

3/31/2025

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Summary

Story summary

In the early 2000s, artist Michael Townsend and his friends ingeniously transformed a hidden space in Providence Place Mall into a secret apartment, protesting gentrification. This four-year endeavor, captured in "Secret Mall Apartment," became a sanctuary for artistic expression. Its 2007 discovery underscored the ongoing battle artists face against urban development in Providence, Rhode Island.

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Story summary

In the early 2000s, artist Michael Townsend and his friends ingeniously transformed a hidden space in Providence Place Mall into a secret apartment, protesting gentrification. This four-year endeavor, captured in "Secret Mall Apartment," became a sanctuary for artistic expression. Its 2007 discovery underscored the ongoing battle artists face against urban development in Providence, Rhode Island.