State of Design Festival

Mercator Studios at the Abbotsford Convent is staging a special exhibition as part of the 2010 State of Design Festival. Titled 'Clean Lines', the show responds to the idea of adaptive re-use and references the building’s history as an industrial laundry.

Follow the clothes line leading from the entrance of the precinct through each studio to discover a diverse range of works including jewellery, glass, ceramics, furniture, lighting, printmaking and painting. While seeing the exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity to meet the designers, learn about the development of the studios, and purchase work direct from the makers.

Mercator Studios is housed in a building that was once part of the commercial laundries run by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. Until recently the building had fallen into disrepair and was threatened by a proposal for a major residential development. Through a grant from the Sidney Myer Fund, Mercator has recently been transformed into numerous light-filled studios:  a dynamic hub for art, craft and design and a remarkable example of adaptive reuse. The complex history of the building has been subverted by the creation of a dynamic new space, activated by the creative companies and individuals who work there, and now freely accessed and enjoyed by the public.