Rescued from a life of quiet obscurity by a generous grant from the Sidney Myer Fund 2009 Commemorative Grants Program, the former ‘lower laundries’ on the eastern side of the Abbotsford Convent have recently been transformed into a surprisingly eclectic range of charming light-filled studio spaces that are now home of a creatively industrious community.
The Mercator Studios are home to a diverse range of creative practices, with a collective ethos that centres on a real value for materials and the creation of objects made to last. In our time of "in-built obsolescence" the makers working at Mercator Studios are striving against the throw away nature of consumerism and fashion. We are dedicated to developing the broader community's understanding of what goes into making something and this is critical to a shift away from mass consumption: changing the way people use and value materials, products and ideas.
Image: Louise M Cooper