MiG-21 fighter jet transformed into a work of art by Ralph Ziman

📽 📷 Lucky visitors to the exhibition at the Museum of Flight, open from June 21, 2025, to January 26, 2026, will even be able to admire the interior of the MiG-21 fighter jet transformed into a work of art by Ralph Ziman. In addition to the aircraft, the exhibition features original art objects related to the project design, including flight suits made by the artist and his team.

The suits are inspired by the silhouette of traditional pilot gear while incorporating the same beadwork aesthetic, along with elements of Afrofuturist design. They serve as wearable extensions of the aircraft's new surface treatment. Videos and photographs documenting the beadwork reworking of the MiG-21 fighter jet are also on display.

The museum also sets up new exhibits telling the original story of the jet. Archival material illustrates the aircraft's design and its use during the Cold War, as well as examples of how military aircraft like the MiG-21 have been repurposed for civilian or artistic purposes after their retirement from service.

Ralph Ziman states that the goal of the MiG-21 fighter project is: - "...to take the most mass-produced supersonic fighter and transform it from a war machine into something beautiful to look at, that changes its meaning and ultimately saves and improves lives rather than taking them."