Kites by Mårten Bondestam
In the Nordic countries there is a love for simple forms. This
trend is still stronger in Finnish design. It is easy to prove
that simple is beautiful: When a painter adds details to his
painting there will be a moment when the work of art will
get less good. The best artists make the simplest works.
The kites are made in different years. I have hard to remember when.
And that is not important. Most of the kites can still be flown. There
are also very many kites not published anywhere. I have some 500
different kites.
Photo by Gerhard & Daniela Zitzmann
Djinn kites are trolls from the woods.
They are mostly very artistik.
The first big conyne delta from 1982.
Later there came three larger ones.
They are extremely reliable flying in most winds.
Kites intended for the children section
of the central library in Helsinki.
My son Kristoffer started the kiting hobby
in our family. He developed his own version
of the bow kite adapting existing sports wear
fabric with of 150 cm.
There are made about 15 colorful of this kite.
Here his dove from 1981.
The Cody was our first lifting kite.
It was not reliable.
Kites copied from a childs
kite designs in 1984.
A transparent parafoil made with
tape and plastic. The top foil
is seen through.
A very poetic kite. The foil shows rainbow colours
in sunshine. Flies like a soul in the park among the old trees. All soft plastic.
The tail of the kite
The Life Giving Rain.
Made from plastic
envelopes for bread.
My "pilot kite". Tells the wind conditions.
Made from a small mylar balloon.
The "collection of
shopping bags".
Always take a kite
with you on holiday.
Here Irleand inland.
A large parafoil without
section walls.
The town director
of Porvoo as a
kite.
This kite made me accepted to be member of the Finnish League of Sculptors. Only 2 of 1000 were aproved.
The frame in Cervia about 2006.
This kite was sold to be a decoration in a hotel in northern Finland.
These sledges are very curious.
