"Postes, 1995" 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.

This kite entitled "Postes, 1995" offers a color-blocked composition of paper packaging and fine printed silks. The layered materials are carefully placed to establish balance and asymmetry, each fragment drawing new lines and sloping angles. A vintage canvas mail bag lies unfolded in the upper left corner, adding to the graphic text scattered across the kite. At once calm and chaotic, the composition stays within a neutral color palette of tans, cremes and black, contrasted by a pop of bright blue and teal.

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

Split bamboo, muslin, found paper, silk, canvas.