Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his travels. His ongoing series of large-scale kites bridge the gap between flat art and sculpture, each crafted of split bamboo frames covered with stretched muslin and a collage of vintage ephemera – including kimonos, obis, paintings, scrolls, drawings, metal leaf, bleeding paper, book pages, or anything with a story to tell.
Entitled “Dappled Light,” this framed work by Thompson brings the sculptural shape of his split bamboo kites to a miniature format. The petite kite is drenched in black paint with a glossy, slick finish like molten tar or lacquer, spread across a collage of vintage German texts complete with printed illustrations. The dark black paint has been strategically wiped away in arched, sweeping motions, creating a graphic pattern of light and dark, and artfully revealing the print media beneath. The curvilinear design is a beautifully simple expression of pattern and form, like crescent-form reflections or dappled sunlight streaming through the tree canopy. The small kite has been set within a dramatic beveled frame with a backdrop of printed Japanese silk.
"Dappled Light," 2024
Michael Thompson
Split bamboo, fabric, found paper, and paint. Framed.
Additional Dimensions:
Without Frame: 13"W x 2"D x 18"H
