"Nature in Harmony" 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 “Nature in Harmony,” the frenzied energy of countless layered fragments is calmed by a central panel of free-flowing watercolor. Pages lifted from German and Chinese texts lie tucked beneath panels of graphic, patterned fabrics, all topped by expressive brushwork reminiscent of traditional Chinese calligraphy. Moments of saturation unite these discrete elements in a subtle wash of blue, a chaotic harmony usually only found in nature.

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