"Forms and Transition" Kite by Michael Thompson

Chicago-based artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites crafted from split bamboo frames covered with stretched muslin and a collage of vintage Asian ephemera - including fragments of fabric, scrolls, drawings, and books collected during his travels.

In “Form and Transition,” Thompson layers fragments of kimono silk to create a moody composition of contrasting light and dark. Like waves lapping on a sandy shore, an iridescent panel of cloud-like stripes decorates the center of the kite. The metallic sheen is subdued by surrounding panels of warm earth tones, richly saturated with mottled texture.

Thompson has earned an international reputation for his kite works, an engrossing project initiated by the artist more than a decade ago.

Split bamboo, muslin, silk, paint, pigment.