[Untitled]

issue 2 spring 2013 Created by Fine Art graduate and Voluntary Arts Ambassador Craig Allan, [Untitled] aims to promote the value and contribution of contemporary arts within the local community by providing a free publications which offers an opportunity to showcase the districts diverse creative talents to a wider audience, encouraging participation within the arts by being devoted to supporting Falkirks voluntary arts groups. Constructing a dialogue between artists, organisations and the general public, new information about the local arts can be published, attracting new group members and opportunities within the community as well as raising the awareness of the importance the arts play in the regeneration and conservation of local communities.

In this issue Profile - Larberts Wee Art Group

Falkirk Camera Club Project Theater

Texts -

Craig Allan Sam Smith

Artwork - Vick Firth Michael Davis Kit Mead M. Sime A.Smith A. Wheeler

Poetry - Karen French

Cover -

Craig Allan

Links -

www.facebook.com/untitledfalkirk www.untitledfalkirk.blogspot.co.uk

To submit work or have your group featured please email vaa-falkirk@vascotland.org.uk

[VOLUNTARY ARTS AMBASSADOR - FALKIRK]

Voluntary arts and crafts groups in Falkirk can now have their views listened to thanks to a new initiative Voluntary Arts Scotland. With so many layers of bureaucracy lying between ordinary people and the decision makers, we all need somebody to speak up for us. Now, those participating in the arts and crafts in Falkirk have a designated person they can talk to about their hopes and concerns for the area - who will then feedback those concerns to people in a position to do something about it! Run by Voluntary Arts Scotland, the Voluntary Arts Ambassador scheme aims to recruit volunteers in each Scottish local authority. Those volunteers will then work with local people, local authority arts officers, voluntary sector agencies and Community Planning Partnerships to help promote amateur arts activity in their area. The initial recruitment drive has resulted in volunteer, Craig Allan being recruited in Falkirk. Subsequent calls will hopefully bring in volunteers from the rest of the Falkirk area, but in the meantime arts and crafts groups across the region can contact Craig or call the Voluntary Arts Scotland office in Edinburgh. Taking part in the arts and crafts has so many benefits for individuals and the communities they live in, from improved mental health to crime reduction. Its also a lot of fun, which is why we want to get the message across to as many people as possible who can help the arts and crafts flourish. Any individuals or groups involved in the arts and crafts who wish to talk to Craig can reach his on email: vaa-falkirk@vascotland.org.uk or visit the facebook page - www.facebook.com/voluntaryartsambassadorfalkirk

Vick Firth. (2013)

Craig Allan. (2013)

[The Artwork In The Age Of Digital Reproduction]

by Craig Allan

In his seminal 1936 essay, The Artwork In The Age Of Mechanical Reproduction, Walter Benjamin discusses a shift in the perception and affects of art since the invention of film and photography in the early twentieth century. A change in our existence, the way we look and see visual art, is now different, the authenticity of art is now up for question. He writes that art has lost an aura through reproduction, the aura for Benjamin is originality, a photograph is an image of an image whilst a painting remains entirely original. This loss of aura demonstrates a historical shift, what does it mean when the aura is lost, how does art function without it and what fills the gap? The removal of authority in regards to mass media, is a liberation, for example, the cameraman intervenes in the way we see a painting by directing the eye towards specific aspects of the image and can tell a specific story. This loss of aura can also be described as the location of the work, as nowhere is holy now, the most iconic paintings can be viewed at any time and any place, but this mass reproduction of art must provide a new appreciation of the arts. Fast forward 80 years, the discussion of authority and aura is continuing, with new developments in digital technology, art works can be made as easily as it is to find an image on the numerous hosting sites. This move out of the gallery and to an entirely digital realm of course raises the awareness of artworks by projecting art directly to the viewer anywhere, also providing an opportunity to print. This digital age fills the gap created by the mechanical reproduction by allowing anyone to create wonderful works of art at the touch of a button or by installing the latest package. The image on the front of this very 'zine, created entirely digital with no physical components did not exist in the real world until the publication of [Untitled], yet you see a reproduction. Where exactly does the original belong and is it even an image? Again we are faced with a change in our existence and the way we see the world, as we are presented with images that exist entirely on a digital format. If a printed photograph is an image of an image, then what does digital photography present us with? On several levels the idea of art having an author and a location is deleted.

Michael Davis + Craig Allan

The first meeting of the club took place on April 5th 1889

[FALKIRK CAMERA CLUB]

Erskine Church, Falkirk www.falkirkcameraclub.co.uk

words by - Geoff Longstaff and Derek Forrest photography by - Falkirk Camera Club members

Falkirk Camera Club - a Snapshot of its History and Current Activities On March 22nd 1889 a meeting was held with the purpose of forming an Amateur Photographic Association. The objects of the Association (reported the Falkirk Herald) are the advancement of photographic art and science in the district, and the mutual improvement of the members A committee was formed, with Mr William Graham as President, and thus was born the Falkirk Amateur Photographic Association (FAPA). The first meeting of the club took place on April 5th 1889 and the club already had between 20 and 30 members. Documented reports show that FAPA ran to at least 1907 but it probably continued until the outbreak of WW I.

The club has been through many incarnations since, reforming after WW I as Falkirk & District Photographic Society (1922-33); becoming part of Falkirk School of Art Club and Photographic Circle (1934-38); continuing after WW II as Falkirk Art & Photographic Club (1946-57) - although, from 1949, this was generally referred to as the Falkirk Art Club (FAC). Then, in 1953, the East Stirlingshire Camera Club (ESCC) was formed and existed in parallel with FAC until 1958 when, at its AGM of April 17th 1958, it decided not without some debate - to re-name itself Falkirk Camera Club (FCC). So this then is the official birthday of FCC. After this time there are no reports of photography as a section of FAC so, it would appear, FCC had united the photographers of FAC and ESCC into a single club.

and meets every Thursday evening at 7.45pm in Erskine Church Hall, Falkirk between September and April. The club programme consists of a broad mixture of talks, instruc tional evenings, internal and external competitions and outings with the latter organised mainly in the summer months. Members have a wide range of interests and abilities and we like to consider ourselves as being an inclusive club. We compete successfully against local camera clubs. While some individual members have gained recognition as winners in the national photographic scene, collectively as a club we have recently made our mark by reaching the finals of the Scottish Photographic Federation Digital Knock-out competition on two successive years and last year we were the top Scottish camera club in the GB Small Camera Clubs Competition.

FCC, with its objectives having changed little, is still thriving with some 60 members

[LARBERTS WEE ART GROUP]

1 Main Street Larbert

Marjory Sime. (2013)

A. Smith. (2013)

Established three years ago, after relocating to Larbert from Stirling, Larberts Wee Art Group meet every; Tuesday, Friday, Saturdaying mornings and Thursday evenings, offering classes to new members or to paint within a social environment. Nationally exhibiting frequently through out the year, saw the group hold their largest exhibition yet, on Falkirk High Street in July 2012, a show that was seen by over three thousand people within a period of only nine days. Visitor are encouraged to attend classes, for a chat and a chance to see what the group has to offer potential new members. Currently the group boasts sixteen artists, of all levels and from all age groups. The classes are taught be local artist Marjory Sime whom has just recently finished exhibiting work at the Pitenween Art Festival. The group are also an active part of the Forth Valley Open Studios, which will be part of the groups next exhibition plans. For further information please contact Marjory at - marjorysime@hotmail.com

A. Wheeler (2012)

[If We Lose Our Dogma, Maybe Well Be Free Someday]

by Sam Smith

The idea of deskilling in contemporary art is often considered in binary terms: two entrenched camps, one seen as being hopelessly outdated, stuck in a past of craft and mimesis, the other described by a former culture minister as cold, mechanical, conceptual bullshit. The predominant narrative of twentieth century art has been a shift away from any idea of the artist as artisan, as some special, somewhat privileged, class of craftsman. Instead we have seen the artist appropriate varied other persona; academic, entrepreneur, shaman, curator to name just a few. One way to understand the impact of deskilling since the readymade is to realise the way in which the shift away from representation in the 20th century freed the artist to develop other skills. These skills may or may not include the physical making of things, they may involve ways of developing meaning through the use and editing of pre-existing objects, materials, systems or situations. Look at Hans Haackes use of information to politicise art history, Donald Judd and Dan Flavins sales of as yet unrealised works in the form of plans, Joseph Beuys statement that every human being is an artist, or Haim Steinbachs beautiful presentations of consumer objects. Ok, so far so art-school and I suspect we arent doing too much to escape the cold, mechanical tag. For all the intellectual value of the above argument I am more interested in where we have come to since then. One offshoot of this line of thinking has been an increased place in art for craft. If the artist has been freed from the traditional pursuits of painting in oils and sculpting in stone and bronze and been able to make use of all that exists in the world that surely means that we are free to either make use of, or develop ourselves, the skills of any profession. In art today we can see the use of skills as varied as carpentry, cooking, video editing, astronomy and singing (or you can even paint if you like). In the hundred years or so since Duchamp turned his back on painting we, as artists, have not become deskilled, we have, in fact, an almost unlimited possibility of skill in front us, we just need to decide which ones are of most use to us in deciphering the world. Perhaps we can subvert what Beuys said, perhaps the artist is every human being.

Sam Smith, (2013)

[PROJECT THEATRE]
words by Jamie ORourke Project Theatre is a voluntary performing arts group who work to provide workshops and host productions for and by young people aged 8-18yrs. As an award winning voluntary run theatre company we aim to promote youth involvement in the creative and performing arts across the Falkirk area. We use arts and theatre to improve confidence and self-esteem as well as providing vital social and learning skills in movement, coordination, communication, literacy and a fun place to go to meet new friends. Our activities are mostly funded through donations and fundraising as we do not charge heavily for the workshops, rehearsals and productions we provide as we find many of our participants are from disadvantaged backgrounds and cannot afford or cannot get access to expensive mainstream theatre schools or classes. We also provide great volunteer opportunities and reward our volunteers through the Saltire Awards scheme through the Scottish Government. Many of our young people and volunteers have been involved in and worked with various professional companies and arts institutions including the BBC, Scottish Kids are Making Movies, Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) and the SECC and many go onto further and higher education using their experiences and achievements with us in CVs, applications and portfolios. We currently rehearse on Wednesday evenings 6-8.30pm and on Sunday afternoons 2-4pm in Talbot House, Talbot Street, Grangemouth. Please contact our Secretary Gail Gallacher on 07902521765 or visit www.projecttheatre.org.uk for more information. We are also on facebook at www.facebook.com/ projecttheatre

Kit Mead, (2013)