"Scoria" 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 “Scoria,” Thompson manages to instill the kite with a volatile sense of motion. Framed by torn fragments of black paper and accented by subtle watercolors, a splash of coffee grounds bursts forth from kite's center, sending rivulets of inky pigments streaming across the piece. Dark, captivating, and passionate, Scoria transforms refuse into something spectacular.

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