"Voyage" by Michael Thompson

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, metal leaf, bleeding paper, book pages, or anything with a story to tell.

In a departure from his split bamboo kite series, this work on stretched canvas entitled "Voyage" layers found paper and fabric scraps into a landscape of varied colors and forms. Sloping lines drawn with paper are suggestive of mountain peaks and valleys, while the mottled texture of inky watercolors evokes imagery of forests or grassy plains. Fragments of paper packing materials and vintage signage enliven the kite with bright color and striking graphics, reframing the expressive collage as akin to Pop Art or Fluxus. Keeping to a subdued palette of tan, pink, purple, and bright blue, the colorful collage invites the viewer to delve into Thompson’s imagination and journey through a lively terrain of texture and form.

"Voyage," 2024
Michael Thompson
Silk and found paper collage on canvas.