Keena Gao ’24: Sculpture at Haystack

Keena Gao (she/they)

Class of 2024

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Joinery for Sculpture at Haystack School of Craft

About the Project

Precise measurements, geometry and a focus on functionality. The Art of Japanese Joinery has a lot in common with what I learned over the course of four years studying mechanical engineering at Duke. I am someone who believes that “makers” or people who make/tinker/build includes artists and engineers alike because these are people who think about breaking down complex problems into design constraints and constantly asking the question “how do we bring this idea to life?” The forms are different whether it be a machine that automates some task or indigo-dyed fabrics billowing in the wind or a wood-sculpted form of a shirt on the ground but over the course of two weeks this summer, I had the privilege to learn from nightly conversations with photography students, graphic designers, ceramicists, silversmiths and more at the Haystack School of Craft in the mountains of Maine.

Everyday I woke up excited to go to the Joinery for Sculpture workshop. It was an incredible experience learning from Vivian Chiu, a fellow female Asian American woodworker. Seeing someone who looked like me excel in the field was inspiring and her guidance on seemingly silly practical challenges such as handling wood or tools with smaller hands was invaluable. This workshop taught me advanced techniques in woodworking but also gave me confidence in starting a new project by myself such as basic machine safety and how to pick out wood from a lumberyard. I absolutely fell in love with woodworking and shaping beautiful objects from the natural textures of the wood. I started a mini-project making figurines which depicted how people express love in physical ways(for instance, abstract shapes listening to each other or dancing together or hugging) and found that adults really enjoyed these as little whimsical toys. My larger final project was two end-tables which apply Japanese joinery(shapes that fit together rather than nails) so that they can be easily disassembled and packed in preparation for my move from Boston to Nashville. This idea was inspired in part by the Thuma bed frames which have similar parts that slot together in a minimalist fashion. This project inspires me to think about a furniture line built for my generation since in my early twenties, I will be moving from apartment to apartment in different cities for school/work and I see reuse(breaking down things into parts and rebuilding them) rather than throwing them away as beautiful and practical for my wallet.

This experience has been one of the most rewarding experiences that I have had through Duke and one of the greatest opportunities to grow in my practice and learn about myself. I would highly recommend anyone teetering on the edge of art and engineering(and anyone else for that matter) to apply for the Benenson award!