"Grove" 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 “Grove,” Thompson plays with density and color to raise visual obstructions and draw alternative pathways. Like traversing a thicket of trees, the viewer navigates a landscape of fragments, drawn in by elusive details tucked within the cohesive whole. Thompson has earned an international reputation for his kite works, an engrossing project initiated by the artist more than a decade ago.