Touchstones by Monika Gora: Touchstone is originally the name of the stone that determined the authenticity of gold. The stone – dark slate or jasper – was pulled against the gold and the mark it left behind revealed the quality of the gold. Metaphorically, Touchstone is a physical and an intellectual measure of whatever one wants to review, and anything can be used as a Touchstone. The Swedish equivalent is a criteria or “prövosten”.
By walking in the area, I transform the landscape into a physical experience. I make myself familiar with it, touch it and let it touch me. I turn myself into the touchstone. I find places near the beaten tack, to rest and experience myself in the landscape that surrounds me.
My additions are minimal, low stools to sit down on, made of logs. Like rocks, they lay on the ground. Touchstones for your own experiences. Every Touchstone has a surface, like water mirroring the surroundings. The surfaces relates to the movements and texture of the water in the stream alongside the footpath.
Touchstones is part of Göteborg LandArtand was opened during Göteborgskalaset in 2017. You can still find Touchstones in 7 places on “Lärjeleden” between Eriksbo and Lärjeåns kafé och trädgårdar, as seen on the map.
Enjoy your walk!
Studio: GORA art&landscape ab
Design team: Monika Gora, in collaboration with Johanna Larsson (Gora art&landscape) and Fredrik Wettermark (Composite Design).
Client: Commissioned by Municipality of Göteborg
Photography: Amplify Photo (www.amplifyphoto.com)| © GORA art&landscape ab
Monika Gora [GORA art&landscape ab], born in 1959, has been working as a landscape architect and artist with her own office, GORA art&landscape, since 1989. She holds a master’s degree in landscape architecture from the Swedish University of Agriculture. Before starting her own office, Monika Gora made prolonged travels of work and study in Australia, China, Indonesia, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the USA. In her practice she has systematically chosen her own paths – both experimenting and challenging – combining this with an ability to find practicable solutions. Monika Gora often works with seamless combinations of landscape architecture, public art and building.
