From a childhood dream of sailing the world to crafting intricate thread-based sculptures, Valentin Renner has always been driven by a desire to explore. What began as a personal project marking the places he’d visited has evolved into a refined, meditative practice exploring order, chaos, and the spaces in between.
By Rise Art | 02 Jul 2025
Originally from Ulm, Valentin Renner spent time in Erfurt before settling in Hamburg. “Hamburg truly opened up the world of art for me. The city offered a fertile environment where I could grow both personally and creatively. It was here that I built a real network and could start exhibiting more wildly.”
His first artwork emerged in 2018. Just three years later, he held his debut exhibition. “It was like a spark that ignited a fire, though to be honest, the fire was already burning. It just intensified,” he recalls. “What really fuelled it was the overwhelmingly positive response from visitors, and coming to terms with the fact that collectors wanted to buy my art, that I could have a career pursuing this craft.”
Where Precision Meets Intuition
Renner’s wall sculptures are instantly recognisable: precise arrangements of nails and coloured thread, creating moiré-like illusions and topographic depth. “The nails anchor the piece to its surface, while the thread adds dimension. What results is a wall sculpture that resembles a topographic map, inviting 3D perception in a 2D space.” Though meticulously crafted, his works are personal reflections of a life marked by change. “I’ve moved 18 times, experienced both wealth and scarcity, strong relationships and sudden separations. My art mirrors all of that.”
Series as Storytelling
Rather than producing stand-alone pieces, Renner works in series, each exploring a particular theme or emotion: Order and Chaos examines structure versus unpredictability; Spectra reflects on the nature of reality, refracted into light; Nota returns to his roots, reconnecting with his earliest work; Strata explores new beginnings through a sense of play. “Strata reminds me that new paths can be approached with curiosity and lightness,” he says. “I tend to take things seriously, and this series helps shift that perspective.”
Inside the Studio
A typical studio day begins with clearing the remnants of the day before. Pieces in progress may wait patiently, or lean against the wall for weeks. Renner’s working hours are structured, mixing hands-on tasks like hammering and threading with material sourcing or admin. “String art is almost like a black hole I get lost in. I completely lose track of time. I don’t see it as my work; it’s my passion, my escapism.”
Despite the calming nature of his process, Renner is exacting. “I have a hard time accepting any imperfections. I do allow for small flaws, but overall, things need to be as close to perfect as possible.” The moiré effect, which adds movement to his works, is both a visual asset and a challenge: “It can be particularly difficult to capture digitally, which can be limiting in a social media-driven world where so much art is discovered and experienced online.”
Connecting People Like Nail to Thread
Renner believes in the importance of viewing his work in person. “Only then can people really grasp the detail, the craftsmanship, the fine knots. On a screen, it’s often not clear it’s made of thread.” It’s also more interesting for Renner, he claims, to quietly listen to collectors explain their interpretations of his unusual works in real-time. “Once, someone stood in front of a piece titled Out of the Dark, which was about humility, and they immediately understood where I was coming from. Moments like that, when someone is able to decipher what I was thinking as I created a work, move me deeply.” Ultimately, he hopes his art becomes a space for connection. “I like the visual of art linking us not just to our own stories, but to each other, like thread connects to nail.”
Looking Ahead
With numerous ideas and untapped potential in String Art, Renner sees no reason to change direction just yet. “I’m sure I’ll explore other materials eventually, but for now, this medium still holds a lot of uncharted territory. Many doors are opening, and I’m curious to see where they lead.”
