SXU Gallery Presents "Kites"
Saint Xavier University (SXU) will host "Kites," the work of Chicago artist Michael Thompson, from August 24 through September 19.
"Kites" exclusively represents Thompson's kite creations, an ongoing series of large-scale collages set on split bamboo frames that bridge flat art and wall sculpture.
"Kites appealed to me, as they provided a medium for painting that didn't seem as adamant or demanding as canvas. They seemed more whimsical, accessible and experimental. They were also sculptural and could be hung from the ceiling, which struck me as an underutilized space," said Thompson.
Thompson is the kind of creative whose technique, spirit, provocation and form is always cut with a little mischief. A graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Thompson's body of work spans across a range of art forms, from kites to experimental postal art to sculptures assembled from scrap metal and ceramic shards. Regardless of the medium, each of Thompson's works is layered with fragments of past lives and bygone memories, measured in the form of antique fabric remnants, printed ephemera and other found elements collected during his travels.
"Bamboo is a wonderful material. It can be split into the thinnest of staves to construct exquisite miniature kites or support massive sculptural constructions. I have hung a 100-foot segmented kite in the atrium of the Marshall Field's State Street store, a 50-foot kite sculpture at Navy Pier, and a small kinetic kite sculpture in an atrium on Franklin Avenue," said Thompson.
Bamboo can be heated and bent to hold a curve while still retaining its flexibility. To construct the kites, Thompson splits the bamboo, shaves the inner side smooth, ties the staves into lattice framework, attaches muslin or canvas to the face of the kite, sizes the fabric, seals it with Polyvinyl acetate, and then paints, stains, collages, adheres papers, and works the surface in any number of ways.
"The kites have developed over the years, beginning as hard-edged abstractions morphing into balanced presentations of Orientalia, then large collages. Eventually they assumed a more painterly aspect. As my supply of eastern material became depleted, I began employing just bits of calligraphy and imagery, distressing the surface and envisioning them less as decorative objects and more as art. Recent kites have been influenced by the work of Robert Motherwell and Franz Kline that are predominantly black and white," said Thompson.
The artist's presentation and reception will be held Wednesday, September 2, at 4 p.m. at the SXU Gallery.
The SXU Gallery is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, contact the Gallery at 773-298-3081.
Thompson's artwork is generously lent for the exhibition by Pagoda Red.