We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Renana Neuman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Renana below.

Alright, Renana thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Last March I presented my solo show “Playing with My-Self” in Brooklyn – a media-installation that included sculptures, animation, video and sound. It examines the ways bodies come together and collectivities are formed; shedding light on the way narratives of national becoming act upon the body and the multiple selves contained therein. It centers on characters that are in a constant process of becoming – fragmented figures, broken and unsustainable as individuals. Appendages are aggregated and hybridized in different ways that upend the coherence of the self. These figures appear in different arrangements throughout the space; as sculptures, 3D models in the video, and line animation. This exhibition was a culmination of two and a half years of research and development, and it spanned 2 countries, 3 residency programs and a fellowship, and many collaborations I was able to cultivate along the way.

Renana, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and organizer, originally from Israel and now based in Brooklyn. My practice spans video, animation, sculpture, and sound, coming together in immersive media installations.

In my video work, I document and then manipulate sites—layering and cutting into them to reveal the hidden histories embedded in a place. I’m drawn to landscapes where the horizon exists in tension: as both a promise of possibility and a rigid border that can never be crossed.

My animations examine power structures and the ways we internalize constructs like gender and sexuality. The figures I create exist in states of tension—dancing, stretching, and contorting, caught between pain and desire. They are in constant flux, their cyclical movements reflect the persistence required to enact change.

In my recent projects, human bodies transform into geological structures like caves and rocks, shaped by external forces of pressure and erosion. For me, these same processes, which form our physical surroundings, also shape our collective unconscious. Nature’s rhythms and transformations reveal truths about the cycles we construct—of power, control, and survival.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Moving to the U.S. was a pivotal moment—many aspects of my practice had to change. In Israel, I traveled extensively, documenting different locations. Upon arriving in the U.S., I realized I needed time to observe, learn, and understand my new surroundings and culture. As a result, the studio became a central space in my practice, leading to an expansion into animation and sculpture.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

This story is about how I was able to realize my project Playing with My-Self, which I told you about earlier.

A few years ago, I began a series of drawings that I thought of as a kind of “bodily alphabet.” From the outset, I knew it would evolve into an animation-sculpture, but I also felt compelled to translate these figures into physical sculptures. At the same time, I attended a residency at Barbur, a non-profit gallery in Jerusalem. I spent a month walking the city, documenting various museums and sites.

When I returned to NYC, I began a year-long fellowship at LABA: A Laboratory for Jewish Culture. That year was spent studying different texts, but most importantly, it led me to meet a wonderful artist and musician—Chanan Ben Simon—who became a collaborator.

At the end of that year, I attended another residency—Skowhegan—where I used their ceramic facilities to create the sculptures for the installation and had the time to develop the animation-sculpture. But the project still wasn’t complete. Once I had all these elements, it was time to focus on the final piece: a multi-channel video installation. That phase took another year and an additional residency—Saltonstall—where I finally had the space to experiment with projections and sound.

Last March, I had the opportunity to present the project at Transmitter Gallery in Brooklyn. As a media-based artist, I not only needed the space but also equipment like projectors and synchronized players to properly present the work. With support from the Foundation for Contemporary Art Emergency Grant and Artis, I was able to execute this project without compromising my vision.

This project pushed me to expand both my artistic abilities and the reach of my practice. Finding the right institutions to support my work was crucial. But more than anything, it was my community—talented friends who became collaborators—who made it possible. Their support helped me visualize a path forward and ultimately bring this project to life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://renananeuman.com/
• Instagram: renaneuman

Image Credits

Renana Neuman photo: Flora Deborah
Playing with My-Self documentation: flaneurshan.studio
A (Void) Dance documentation: Renana Neuman