The interior surfaces of the reconciliation touchstone capture the plaster imprints of 64 handshakes made at a Reconciliation Week ceremony in 2006. The resulting shell-like forms create the impression of a rock shelf.

The touchstone, a collaboration between Karen Casey and Darryl Cowie, was unveiled during Reconciliation week in 2007 by the University of Adelaide Vice-Chancellor and President. It marks the university’s commitment to reconciliation and support of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through education.

Karen Casey is a Palawa woman and interdisciplinary artist. Starting out as a painter and printmaker, her work spans a broad range of mediums and presents commentary on social justice and environmental issues. Her signature earth-encrusted surfaces draw on an indigenous connection to land, culture and country.