My Space - The Age
Marcos Davidson's Flinders Lane studio may look chaotic, but within the clutter of tins, drum parts and headhunting trophies is, he insists, a sense of order. Sitting in his seventh-floor eyrie, surrounded by the tools of his ancient craft, he is "relegated to this interesting world of people who make things" - a diminishing band of artisans being forced out by what he calls the "ongoing retailing" of the city's heart. Describe where you work. Carlow House was one of the more modern buildings to do with fashion and fabrics. Some of the older people were haberdashery suppliers, suiters - this was a furrier's. When I moved in around 1999, there were pins still pressed into the floor . . . There were all sorts of people . . . Describe what you do here. I work in the 15th century. I fuse things, I forge things. I've got an engraving there of a Renaissance jewellery workshop. It's exactly the same. I would say that in a very old-fashioned way, I work as a bespoke jeweller . . . about to become extinct. In the last three or four years, it has completely changed. People are saying, "Right, I want a ring and I want it now, so I'm just going to go and buy it from the shop." Everyone's in a very big hurry . . . they say, "Can I have it by Wednesday?" The thing with an engagement or wedding ring, you've got to wear it all the time; it transcends fashion. Tell me about some of the things that surround you. The drum is a 1910 American marching drum. I work with a lot of musical people. I fix musical instruments for nothing - I played in bands myself - violins, saxophones, drums. A drum fellow that I'd done some work for . . . gave me that. There was a photograph of that dance band - Silvanians Dance Orchestra - in the Preston Town Hall, all there on stage with the drum kit in the centre. I work with vintage drum kits and make the bits that no longer exist. How are you inspired by the things that surround you? They're my muses. Some of them are tools. They are components of something. If I have to build something, there it is. They're not just static. They're often brought together as assemblages, or a cabinet of curiosities; all very specifically collected. This is a collection of amber and shellac. They're lovely together. Why have them in a container in the cupboard when I can look at it? A tin of sand from central Australia. If I'm soldering a delicate opal ring, or something, I can put the ring in that and I can solder it without burning or heating the gemstone. It's living with your passion. It's all the inspiration. If I find something, I'll bring it here . . . I've got headhunting trophies. A headhunting basket. The accoutrements of warfare. Jewellery and warfare are very closely linked . . . Hat pins have defended more women than words . . . deadly. There I've got some bowls of water with volcanic rock I got from Stradbroke Island. I have boxes of laboratory equipment. To make an installation, I'm pulling that down, cleaning it and setting it up. I like looking at them. I have many types of hats, helmets, fezs. I've got lots of spoons, but not laid out in cases; they're part of it. So can you describe everything in this room and recall when you got it? Yes. It's also like a garden. It is dealt with all the time. This is an arrangement (points to a collection of tins) but that'll go back into another area later on. This area needs weeding (points to a tray of allen keys) . . . I leave that out and start refilling it. It's all highly organised. I don't come in and say, "I have to clean everything up." It does have to be out and open. I'm using this all the time. How does the city itself inspire you? It's the idea of the hive. I really love seeing all these people - everyone's up to something. There's a whole bunch of different people in the city for different reasons. It's great being up and out of it, but you can look down and see how it's all working. How has it changed? The demographic changes every three months. Suddenly it's all cafes, weak lattes and focaccias. I didn't even know what a focaccia was three years ago. It's just an excuse to sell more bread . . . There are some places where the demographic hasn't changed for 600 years. We're in a place where nothing's allowed to get old, where we think we're very progressive and we tear this down and tear that down. Just to get the rent. If you created a piece that captures Melbourne, what would it look like? Melbourne Council asked me what I would like to do. I said I'd like to remake the mayoral chain. Now it's almost an anachronism - how to bring that into a relevant state? It would be not so much a long, elitist thing, but something more after-five. Kind of casual. If you lived in a different city, would your work be different? Oh yes. The thing about Melbourne is that it has a strong undercurrent. I do believe it's probably the hardest town in the world to work in. They are really critical. I always thought that if I could survive here, I could survive anywhere. -- LINDY PERCIVAL