This work is composed of an arrangement of kites in a linear formation. This formation is extendable or retractable and can be displayed with any amount of kites. The kites have two distinct functions - as an iterated, resting object, and as a unseen performance. Each kite is made from wooden dowels and nylon “ripstop” fabric, commonly used in kite making, parachuting, and sailing. The kite is colored black so that when it is flown at night, it cannot be seen by the operator or any other person. The design of the kite is based off the Japanese rokkaku dako for its stability and its simple, faceted shape which mimics the geometry of stealth aircraft.
While conceiving this work, I was interested in creating a scenario in which an unknowing audience were subjects of an unseen spectacle. The act of flying a black kite at night transformed a seemingly innocuous gesture into something almost malevolent - less purposeful than powerful; a silent, solitary protest. The work has evolved to function as a form of disclosure; the iterated objects become symbols of their unseen flights - records of countless performances that were never witnessed. In an age of constant surveillance and nearly infinite image saturation, invisibility is a potent and disquieting form of agency.