The World Premiere of the MiG-21 Project at the Museum of Flight

The world premiere of The MiG-21 Project, open June 21, 2025, through January 26, 2026, is The Museum of Flight’s most ambitious art exhibit to date.

The multidisciplinary project features a real, decommissioned Cold War-era MiG-21 fighter jet that was painstakingly covered in tens of millions of colorful glass beads.

Pictured: Artist Ralph Ziman at the premiere of the MiG-21 Project at The Museum of Flight in Tukwila, Washington.

The exhibit is the conclusion of Ziman’s 12-year Weapons of Mass Production Trilogy, which addresses the impact of the arms trade on global conflicts and the continued militarization of police forces around the world. Previously, his team transformed AK-47s and a Casspir armored vehicle used during South Africa’s apartheid.

“The aim of The MiG-21 Project,” said Ziman in a press release, “is to take the most mass-produced supersonic fighter aircraft and to turn it from a machine of war into something that looks beautiful, changes the meaning of it.”

The MiG-21 in the Museum of Flight's Open Air Pavilion.

Seeing the museum’s many jets up close in the open-air Aviation Pavilion is impactful on its own; the complete transformation of a jet by Ziman’s team is mesmerizing. The intricate beadwork pays homage to South Africa’s rich tradition of beading. In fact, South African artisans created much of the piece, shipping completed beadwork back to Los Angeles where Ziman’s team assembled it onto the jet.

In addition to the central piece, the exhibit features several rooms devoted to Ziman’s work in the Museum’s Special Exhibits Gallery. These displays are no less striking. Six figures in Afrofuturistic flight suits are positioned around the room like characters in a science fiction movie; on the walls hang large photographs of fantastical figures beside the MiG-21. Also on display are large images of jets created entirely from beads, a 3D-printed replica of the jet, and videos showing the creation process. Informational displays draw thought-provoking connections between global politics, history, and the artwork.

Photographs of models in futuristic regalia adorn the walls of the exhibit.

Why the Museum of Flight?

While the historic institution may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of fine art, in recent years, the museum has made it a priority to feature original artwork alongside its collection of vintage air and spacecraft.

The Museum of Flight previously displayed Ziman’s Casspir Project in 2024. That piece transformed an 11-ton Casspir military vehicle, originally a symbol of oppression during apartheid, into a powerful symbol of peace and reconciliation. When it came time to find a home for The MiG-21 Project, the museum was a natural fit for the transformed fighter jet.

Six figures in futuristic regalia stand in the center of the Special Exhibits Gallery.

Six Years in the Making: How the MiG-21 Was Created

Ziman’s team began creating the project in 2019, putting the final touches on in 2025 before unveiling it at the Museum of Flight. It was constructed in Los Angeles, but many sections of the beadwork were created by artisans in South Africa, who shipped their finished work back to the U.S. for Ziman’s team to construct. Ziman estimates that a ton of beads were used to complete it. To transport the exhibit to the museum, it was shipped to Tukwila in three large flatbed trucks, then carefully reconstructed in the Aviation Pavilion.

Who Would This Exhibit Appeal To?

The Mig-21 exhibit is certainly worth a visit on your trip to Seattle Southside. You don’t need any special interest in planes or South African history to appreciate this exhibit. The imagery is impactful and accessible to a general audience, and the informational displays draw connections to help illuminate the ideas behind the piece. The underlying subject matter is serious, but the expression of the ideas is joyful and celebrates artistry, creativity, and collaboration.

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Annie Atherton

Author

Annie Atherton

Senior Content Writer

Annie Atherton is the Senior Content Writer at Explore Seattle Southside. As a (mostly) lifelong resident of the Seattle area, she is very proud to call the region home and to talk it up to all who will listen.

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