the black snapper

Ramin Haerizadeh is an Iranian economist graduate-turned photographer, his reputation is firmly in the ascendance, with a string of acclaimed international exhibitions already under his belt.

At first seemingly simple, Haerizadeh’s photographs are nonetheless visually as well as intellectually complex. The meticulously crafted components within each work behave in unexpected ways and culminate in an immaculate finish. Reminiscent of the traditional motifs of Persian tapestries, architecture, fabrics, and carvings, Ramin Haerizadeh’s work reconfigures the decadence of an ancient civilisation into lusciously futuristic tableaux. Printed as large photographs, his computer manipulated imagery conveys all the sumptuous associations of history within their super-slick modern surfaces. Using these appropriated forms as departure point for invention: Haerizadeh transforms tradition, myth, and legend into the realm of virtual reality, subverting convention through high-impact graphic design and digital modelling.

Nothing in Haerizedeh’s images is quite as it seems. His giant pieces (each 100 x 150 cm) invite the viewer into a strange, dark, day-glo world, full of deception and skewed unreality. His photographs reflect the colours and composition of everyday life. However, through techniques and devices, he proceeds to trash the absolute realism of photography by subverting the image, literally from within. By splitting, mirroring and twisting his images, disorientating and unseen depths come to light – engaging the viewer to reconstruct reality for themselves.