"Feng Shui" 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 “Feng Shui,” Thompson aligns printed kimono silks to create a patchwork of light and dark. Silk brocade panels woven with purple and gold metallic threads bring color to the composition, dotted with chrysanthemums, pine trees, and mythical fu lions with curly manes and flame-like tails. Sheer silk overlaid onto the brocade obscures the graphic pattern, still faintly visible with a soft, dream-like quality.

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.