"Gold Bar" 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 this work titled “Gold Bar,” Thompson layers collaged materials with broad brushstrokes of dark paint to explore the visual depth attainable through color and texture alone. Layers of found cardboard provide typographical fragments and pops of color, the humble material situated in neutral contrast to the opulent wash of gold beneath.

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