German artist Valentin Elias Renner ties it all together in string
“Love the whole tree; then you will love the shapely branch.” Philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti’s quote could very well describe the meticulous practice of artist Valentin Elias Renner. He begins by laying out wood, then lining it up against rulers. Millimeter by millimeter, he drives nails into precise positions and, from here, threads thousands of strings to create exacting patterns that ultimately form a whole image.
Up close, Renner’s painstaking process shows how the devil is in the details. Step back, however, and a different reality emerges in a complex, expansive composition that shows how a bird’s-eye perspective often shows order emerging from chaos.
Inside the studio
Just recently, the Hamburg-based artist exhibited his moiré-like patterns and topographic illusions at Art Fair Philippines with Modeka Art. “I make art with nails and strings on wood and canvas,” he says. “All the materials I’ve used, I brought them here, so they’re locally produced. I took two weeks to make them all.”
For his presentation with Modeka Art, he exhibited two series of artwork. “The first is the ‘Strata’ series,” he explains. “Its topic is to have joyfulness in making decisions in your life. The second is the ‘Spectra’ series, which is all about the language of light.”
The meaning in his messaging is very clear through the forms he creates. “Strata” undulates in cubes and geometric patterns, its structure echoing the layered choices Renner contemplates. While in “Spectra,” the language of light comes through vividly, as lines refract and radiate across the surface.
Both series seem to reflect how the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, with every individual string an essential component, yet incomplete with its counterparts.
Between Manila’s chaos and inspiration
Renner’s time in Manila made an impression, it seemed, as he shared on Instagram that, “This city is intense, overwhelming, chaotic, warm, beautiful, exhausting, and generous, sometimes all at once. My time here hit me straight in the chest. And I loved it for that.”
Exhibiting at such a big fair was also a milestone he did not fully anticipate or imagine, as he met collectors who took home his work, marking his first step into the Asian art space. “It is humbling. It is surreal. And I am endlessly grateful,” he gushes.
Still, adjusting to Manila’s rhythm had its challenges. “There were moments of friction, overstimulation, and doubt. But sometimes stepping out of your usual environment can really be an engine for growth.”
“Manila also recalibrated my perspective,” the artist writes online. “It reminded me that when you stay focused, trust the process, and truly believe in what you are building, things start aligning. Manifestation really works magic.”
Renner’s art, now in the Southeast Asian atmosphere and consciousness, demonstrates a precision that feels unmistakably German. Yet he defies convention in more ways than one, such as working with thread, a medium traditionally associated with women’s craft, now approached through his meticulously made, conceptual forms.
And while each nail and thread may seem insignificant on its own, together they form intricate works of art that stand on their own. Through his first Manila presentation, Renner strikes a balance between order and intuition, micro and macro, showing that meaning arises from both the intricacy of each detail and the power of the whole.
