Stories In Stone

Restoration: Stories in Stone is a collection of artworks made by artists’ group Recollective, during their twelve month artist’s residency in Falkirk town centre, commissioned as part of Falkirk Townscape Heritage Initiative.

Recollective used writing, photography and illustration to produce three artworks in response to the restoration of the town centre – a novella, a suite of photographs and a collection of drawings. Landmark buildings such as the Falkirk Steeple are central to their work and they remember buildings no longer there, such as the Gaumont Picture House. The artworks have been inspired by the individuals for whom the town centre may mean home, work, leisure, social or a shopping destination, alongside the retailers, companies and organisations that form part of the fabric of the town.

During the residency, the artists spent many hours speaking to local residents and visitors as well as the staff and organisations involved in the restoration work. This book distils the artists’ experience into the three individual, though related, pieces of work. Each work offers us the artists’ perspective on the town centre restoration. Collectively they present a poetic, insightful, humorous and poignant snapshot of a brief period of time in Falkirk’s long and rich heritage and show us the importance of place and community on our own individual histories.

OUTPUTS – Limited edition book / Community Workshops  / Multimedia Film

Project commissioned by Falkirk THI