Artists Turn Secret Mall Apartment Into Powerful Art

Documentary explores how a group of creatives used a hidden space to make a mark on the world.

Feb. 1, 2026 at 8:31am

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A new Netflix documentary, "Secret Mall Apartment," follows a group of young, disenfranchised artists who find a hidden, unused space deep within a bustling Rhode Island shopping mall. What starts as an exploration of the group living in this secret location evolves into a powerful story about using art to make a statement against capitalism and gentrification.

Why it matters

The film highlights how marginalized artists can reclaim public spaces to express themselves and make a positive impact on their communities, even in the face of encroaching commercialism and development.

The details

The documentary chronicles how the group of eight artists transformed the secret mall apartment into a hub for creative expression. They used the space to construct large-scale public art installations, including a tribute to the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing and a citywide memorial for 9/11 first responders. These acts of artistic rebellion aimed to bring awareness to important social issues and provide an emotional outlet for the community.

  • The documentary was released on Netflix in 2024.
  • The artists' Oklahoma City project was completed on the 10th anniversary of the OKC bombing.

The players

Jeremy Workman

The director of "Secret Mall Apartment" who described the film as a "Trojan Horse" that draws viewers in with the concept of artists living in a mall, only to explore deeper themes of artistic expression and social commentary.

The Providence Place group

A collective of eight young, disenfranchised artists who found a hidden, unused space in a Rhode Island shopping mall and used it as a base to create powerful public art installations.

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What they’re saying

“Instead, as I discovered throughout the incredible, powerful, and oddly emotional documentary, this is a story about artists making their mark on the world and taking back something that was pried out of their hands by developers and capitalism.”

— Philip Sledge

“There's a great section partway through the film where the group travels to Oklahoma City on the 10th anniversary of the OKC Bombing to construct a massive piece of public art created with nothing more than masking tape and ingenuity. Though monumental in emotionality, this pales in comparison to what comes next: a citywide tribute to the FDNY firefighters and passengers who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.”

— Philip Sledge

What’s next

The documentary's director, Jeremy Workman, is expected to discuss the film's impact and the artists' continued work at an upcoming film festival panel.

The takeaway

"Secret Mall Apartment" showcases how marginalized artists can reclaim public spaces to make powerful statements and create meaningful art that uplifts and inspires their communities, even in the face of encroaching commercialism and development.