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From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Mallshopper

MONDAY OCTOBER 8 2007 12:00 PM

Submitted by johnnyfu. Edited By erin_broadley.

TAGS: art, the mall

My headline, of course, is a reference to the classic childhood book about a brother and sister who lived in hiding in a museum. It�s a really good little kids book and was obliquely referenced (or ripped off, depending on how you feel) for a scene in The Royal Tenenbaums. The book no doubt left all of its grade school readers with two questions; why can�t I run away from home and does this Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler lady have any other files?

Well, as Consumerist noted today, it kind of looks a new file just got unearthed. A group of eight artists built and lived in a hidden apartment built in a shopping mall on and off for the last four years. The room was built in the mall�s parking lot, and was both a living space and an art installation, with the purpose of observing mall consumer culture. However, they didn't let the high-minded goal stand in the way of modest luxury.

The apartment included a sectional sofa and love seat, coffee and breakfast tables, chairs, lamps, rugs, paintings, a hutch filled with china, a waffle iron, TV and Sony Playstation 2 -- although a burglar broke in and stole the Playstation last spring, Townsend said. The artists built a cinderblock wall and nondescript utility door to keep the loft hidden from the outside world.

While waffles, video games and no rent sounds like all the ingredients of a perfect living situation, the 750-square-foot loft lacked some basic amenities. The living space lacked running water, so the occupants had to use the bathrooms in the mall. They were prepared to live without plumbing in perpetuity, but had other construction plans that 38-year-old collective spokesperson Michael Townsend described as "super-sweet," like laminated hardwood floors.

Unfortunately, the mallsquat improvement plans were put on indefinite hold last week, when mall security guards finally found the hidden apartment. The location hadn�t been entirely secret up to that point; it had been toured by visiting artists and robbed on at least one occasion.

Townsend was sentenced to probation earlier this week. In addition, his website now features a documentary about the art-partment project and a statement that (according to consumerist, at least) reads like a court-mandated apology.

Thank you mall. I have grown exponentially from having this opportunity and it has been a major and most valuable part of my life and imagination. In the future I hope to share some of my experiences and observations with a wider audience and can only say that living in the mall is great. I am saddened that I am not allowed to ever return to the mall again, but I understand. The mall made me think very carefully about what we buy.

17 Comments

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wink84

Fulton, MO

October 2007

OCT 08, 2007 12:16 PM

It must have been really hidden if a burglar broke in it.

MrStitches

Sag Harbor, NY

November 2003

OCT 08, 2007 12:31 PM

This is art?

I loved that book though.

Veloxmortis

Wichita, KS

February 2006

OCT 08, 2007 12:41 PM

I am an artist, and I enjoy watching people go about their days at the mall. However, I don't think I would ever want to live there.

JoLeigh

SUICIDEGIRL

Florida, USA

OCT 08, 2007 12:47 PM

HURRAY
it only took mall security four years to find it
haha
that is amazing
but living at a mall especially during the holidays gross

buzzsaw71

Blowing Rock, NC

February 2005

OCT 08, 2007 01:40 PM

That this went on for four years is probably the greatest thing I have heard all month.

malkav11

Saint Paul, MN

July 2003

OCT 08, 2007 01:53 PM

Dude. That's entirely awesome. All the photos seem to be from inside, so I'm having trouble envisioning what it looked like from outside, where it was in the mall exactly, that sort of thing.

Admiral_Pants

Austin, TX

May 2004

OCT 08, 2007 02:49 PM

malkav11 said:
Dude. That's entirely awesome. All the photos seem to be from inside, so I'm having trouble envisioning what it looked like from outside, where it was in the mall exactly, that sort of thing.

It sounds like he just walled off a corner of the mall's parking garage.

mydcmbr81

Wesley Chapel, FL

October 2003

OCT 08, 2007 03:04 PM

Rookie Security Guard: Hey, what's behind that door?
Grizzled Old Security Guard: How the hell should I know, did I build this damn place?
Rookie: Let's go see what's in there.
Grizzled: Oh shit, fine we'll go see.

<squeeeeeeek>

Unison: WTF?!

And so goes the story of how it was discovered.

bekindtomonkeys

Denton, TX

October 2007

OCT 08, 2007 03:05 PM

That book was sick! Long live E.L. Konigsburg for writing that gem! Ah, didn't even read the article...Just saw the witty headline and needed to stop in and represent some good childhood lit.

Tangus

Winter Park, FL

November 2005

OCT 08, 2007 03:18 PM

I always get happy when I hear about how much people love this book. The woman who wrote it is my cousin!! She lives in the Florida keys, although she's something of a second cousin, so I've never met her, although we sent each other letters a few times!!

malkav11

Saint Paul, MN

July 2003

OCT 08, 2007 03:22 PM

Admiral_Pants said:

It sounds like he just walled off a corner of the mall's parking garage.

Ohhhh. Parking *garage*! That makes so much more sense than parking lot. (Buildings in parking lots tend to be kinda conspicuous. )

Enmity_

Rio Rancho, NM

August 2005

OCT 08, 2007 04:07 PM

Man I loved that book in 3rd grade, I always wanted to live like them, just not in a mall. haha.

10k

Baton Rouge, LA

July 2002

OCT 08, 2007 06:21 PM

While I think that squatting is cool, I think I missed the 'art' part of the whole thing. Did they at least mess up the mall at night so that people would think it was haunted?

iKitten

Woodstock, GA

May 2007

OCT 08, 2007 06:31 PM

malkav11 said:

Admiral_Pants said:

It sounds like he just walled off a corner of the mall's parking garage.

Ohhhh. Parking *garage*! That makes so much more sense than parking lot. (Buildings in parking lots tend to be kinda conspicuous. )

His blog indicates it was an unused room that was formerly used for storage during the construction of the mall and was apparently subsequently forgotten. Interesting.