Artist Highlight
KEITH RANKIN
Dayton, Ohio
It can be difficult to differentiate between many visual artists who create in the vaporwave style, but Keith Rankin manages to distinguish himself both through creative use of influences outside of the scene, as well as the sheer magnitude of his work that has guided the movement as a whole. The expected vaporwave touchpoints certainly exist in his art: 3D rendered objects, references to old video games, Japanese typography, and bright color palettes. But Keith also draws heavily from the dadaist movement, and he often incorporates dark imagery that diverts from the typical focus on glossy luxury. Introspection seems to be a recurring theme in his art, as subjects can often be found gazing questioningly at their reflections, their doppelgängers, or their universes dissolving into pixellated oblivion around them. Like the vaporwave movement at large, Keith simultaneously grapples with powerful questions as well as the futility of answering them. Between the volume, quality, and prominence of his art, we can't tell you how thrilled we are to have Keith contributing to our first-ever genre-specific volume.
Keith Rankin is a powerhouse in the world of vaporwave, releasing music under both his solo Giant Claw project and his Cream Juice project with Seth Graham. Even more impressively, the pair also runs the hugely influential Orange Milk Records. Keith creates almost all visual aspects for the label, so it's fair to say his art has helped shape the visual direction of the entire genre. Keith is based in Dayton, Ohio. When he's not creating, he's likely on the internet.