Rancho Notorious Gallery, Melbourne is bringing us to the ends of civilisation this month with “Post Apocalypse” from Just Another Agency members Aramas and Kaitlin Beckett (who we interviewed a few months ago).

“A journey into the post apocalypse of an alternate area…an anachronistic projection to a post human destruction.

What would happen if the human world suddenly ended in the 30′s? How would the world look now, would anything survive? Post Apocalypse is an exploration of that question. Humans are gone, destroyed by nuclear or biological hubris. The world that’s left is smoky and ruinous. This is an alternate future containing creatures evolving into a stylised world suddenly found empty. A story of survival, hyper evolution, mutation, glorious gas masks and deco punk themes.

KAITLIN BECKETT…Mechanical walkers driven by masked creatures walk under a glowing sky, jars are lined up to collect precious liquids and overlapping armour plates wrap around smoking viscera. The poisonous air has necessitated quick adaptations.

ARAMAS…In a world suddenly devoid of human, animals have undergone a hyper evolution. Forced to adapt to a ruined world. The results are animals new to consciousness, struggling to make sense of this strange world, the history that created it, and the future they now have to deal with. There’s new religion, old animosities, and a very human sense of curiosity and confusion. I see the bears of this world as the alternative to humans. Inheriting a past that they’re trying to understand, with some very strange results.”

Kaitlin, a New Zealand native, uses mixed media of paint and illustration with airbrush, dip pens and her very own stained fingers, “lovingly embellished with iridescent pigments and metal leaf”.

“Since childhood I have had a love for the fantastic and the imaginary – I enjoy depicting the real and the unreal together, bio-mechanical juxtapositions, the unusual engaged with the everyday. The natural world, odd dreams, cryptozoology, literature and science fiction inspire me; and attachments, disguises, viscera and machinery are recurring themes in my bestiary. My characters invoke a sense of pathos, unease or humour, and I like to encourage others to invent their own narrative around my creatures” – Says Kaitlin

Aramas, Brisbane born (Melbourne situated) ethical student and self taught artist, also has an eclectic and beautiful painting style. Using creatures of animal origin and projections of current and future themes, she provokes thought and passion in her pieces.
Sometimes described as pessimistic, the translation of inner to outer in Aramas’ work is still palatable (and pretty pretty) in its execution.

These two incredibly talented ladies will be opening their minds and mediums to teach us a thing or two and we are grateful, what a combination!

Who: Kaitlin Beckett and Aramas
What: Post Apocalypse duo dhow
Where: Rancho Notorious Gallery 361 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne
When: Opening night Thursday 27th October 6-9pm. Show runs from 25th October to 7th November 2011

Check out Kaitlin Becketts A Curious Beastiary and Aramas’s websites for more info.