Video artist Ramin Rahni uses an analogue synthesiser to create glitchy “paintings”

Ramin Rahni is a biologist by training – this makes sense looking at his animated digital landscapes, the geometric formula of which are clearly informed by a STEM mind. His tools are also far from typical – he uses an LZX anaolog modular synthesiser to generate shapes and mix colour with pre-programmed electronic modules. The LZX is the best tool for Ramin to synthesise video due to its limitless scope in translating his imaginations, resulting in what he describes as digital “paintings”. His works jump from glitchy poppies and desert landscapes to abstract manifestations of colour, shape and texture.

Ramin gravitates to working with Islamic geometries, informed by his Iranian upbringing. With every plug-in, he outputs hazy squigglevision-esque movements. He’s now experimenting with hybrid approaches, using camcorder footage alongside video synth and text to create an eerie ghost-like picture book, as well as exploring trichrome thermal print stop motion animations. “I split my video art into its component red, green, and blue channels, print each frame three times, once for each colour channel using a video graphic printer, then scan and composite them digitally,” says Ramin.

Inspirations underpinning his work span early digital artist Lillian Shwartz, textile artist Melissa Cody, textile and digital artist Charlotte Johannesson, and the graphic designer and illustrator Hiroshi Nagai. Though his inspiration doesn’t stop there. Ramin tells us, “Outside of my visual art practice, I play music as one half of the art rock duo Tar Of, and one half of the SWANA electronic duo Googoosh Dolls, and co-organise annual technowruz celebration in NYC.” A true interdisciplinary artist, to refute the well-worn saying, Ramin is a jack of all trades and a master too.