Approximately 35 years ago members of our club met members of Falkirk Writers Circle at monthly meetings of Falkirk & District Arts & Civic Council, now Falkirk Arts Network. Chatting over coffee & biscuits ( and if memory serves, a certain hotel bar ), we talked about the similarities between writing and photography. For example each can be used for reporting factual information, as a means of communication or as a means of self expression to name just a few. It was decided to start a joint project and we opted for a format where the photographers gave the writers some Prints, then the writers made a selection and produced pieces of prose or poetry inspired by those Prints.
Annually and for several years both Prints and Writing were displayed in an exhibition space in the foyer of the Municipal Buildings in Falkirk. The space was then re-purposed and the collaboration halted. Around 2007 an incoming President of F.C.C., by chance, met some F.W.C. members in the bar of a ( different ) hotel. You may have spotted a trend here 🙂. The previous project was mentioned and re-emerged, about 18 months later, as Talking Pictures. This time the two groups meet for an evening in March. The photographer introduces their image, then the writer reads their poetry or prose, both in front of a Projected Digital Image. It also exhibited for a couple of years in both Falkirk Library and Grangemouth Library but the live event continues.
This was the first Talking Pictures in our new venue of Trinity Church. We often start with a few photographs of writers, both from the early days of photography and the present day. We did so this year too but to illustrate how artists also work with composition, colour, light and atmosphere started with Heidelberg by J.M.W. Turner. Then, his watercolours of Rymer’s Glen followed by Chiefswood Cottage, both locations on the Abbotsford Estate of Sir Walter Scott. The link being that the artist and the writer were friends with Turner providing illustrations for Scott’s books. These two moving watercolours were painted by Turner on a visit to Abbotsford after Scott’s death. Next was an 1840’s photograph of Hugh Miller, geologist and writer who was also a prominent figure when the Free Church of Scotland formed in 1843. He would, almost certainly, have been known to the users of our venue at that time. Photographs of Hugh McDiarmid by American photographer Lida Moser followed from the present day by Jackie Kay, photographed by Robin Gillanders.
That brought us to this years photographs, poetry and prose. It’s fascinating for us photographers to hear the words which our images have inspired. The writing can be thought provoking or amusing, informative or profound. Always a joy to hear. At the end of the evening Jean Currie read a poem entitled Falkirk Winter Wonderland which accompanied a photograph by Ian Trapp.
Our thanks to everyone, from both groups, who made the evening possible.
