Bio & Rationale
“When stimulated by a place, sound, feeling or scent, one is on occasion magically transported to the depths of nostalgia…” Lachlan Orton’s statement for Rushing Back sets the tone: memory as a portal, whimsy with a bitter-sweet edge. Raised in rural Gippsland and now based in Melbourne, the 19-year-old illustrator folds personified emotions, creatures, and everyday keepsakes into colourful scenes that feel like daydreams caught mid-flight. His practice is deliberately eclectic – part childhood scribble, part graphic design rigour – with characters that express internal states more than literal stories.
Lachlan’s work suits Aether because it wears its heart on its sleeve. There’s courage in showing feeling, and a sense of play that never slips into naïve. For our XPA, we wanted a label that radiated energy without shouting; Rushing Back did exactly that – bright, layered, and nostalgic in all the right ways. It’s art that invites you to pause, smile, and remember.
