"Urban" 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 collected during his travels. In “Urban,” Thompson layers painted rice paper, found signs, photography prints, and kimono silk to create an animated landscape. Anchoring the kite is a fragment of an advertisement found on the west side of Chicago, which the artist peeled off of a wall in the rain. Repeating this action while assembling the piece, Thompson peels back the collaged fragments, leaving torn edges that spread across the kite as corridors of dark color. Embodying the lively buzz of an urban setting, the captivating kite hums with energy.

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