"Peach Bloom" Kite by Michael Thompson

2023
$5,480 USD
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Dimensions
W: 50.5" D: 2.0" H: 38.5"
Materials
Materials
Silk
Bamboo
Fabric
Purchase Quantity
Collection #
CMT245
Estimated Shipping
$588

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, tickets, signs, book pages, or anything with a story to tell.

In this kite entitled "Peach Bloom," Thompson seams together fragments of found obi silks and woven brocades to create a dreamy landscape of flowers and clouds. Long panels of silk and cotton stretch across the kite with geometric form, while five-petal cherry blossoms drift across the surface. The left side is anchored by a panel of silk woven with a pattern of crashing waves, dyed to a peachy-pink with contrasting white floral medallions achieved by dye-resist.

Like the ever-desirable peach bloom glaze of Chinese porcelain ware, the kite plays within a palette of pink, white, and orange, with the occasional undercurrent of pale green. Delicately printed silks of chrysanthemums and other flowers soften the kite's sharper angles with gentle shading and fine linework. Feminine yet bold, vibrant yet soft, the kite is an exuberant celebration of springtime and the simple perfection of a drifting cloud.

"Peach Bloom," 2023
Michael Thompson
Split bamboo, canvas, silk, pigments.

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Michael Thompson

b. 1951

Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past & present. 

His body of work spans across a range of art forms, from experimental postal art to paper collage to sculptures assembled from scrap metal and ceramic shards.

Regardless of the medium, each of Thompson’s works is layered with fragments of past lives and bygone memories, measured in the form of antique fabric remnants, printed ephemera and other found elements collected during his travels.

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What They're Saying

Elizabeth Krueger | Elizabeth Krueger Design

“PAGODA RED was extremely supportive in helping to pull accessory options together for the Lake Forest Showhouse. After providing them with details and our vision on how we were looking to finish our space, Laurene helped curate options that made it easy for us to edit and finalize. It's also no surprise that the unique pieces we used in our showhouse space were some of the first to sell.”

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