With millions of glass beads, Ralph Ziman transforms the iconic MiG-21 into a visual manifesto against violence and the Cold War legacy
“Let’s create something with beads that will take people’s breath away,” says artist Ralph Ziman in the trailer for The MiG-21 Project, an impressive art installation that covers a Soviet military jet — from nose to tail — with tens of millions of colorful glass beads.
For over a decade, Ziman, who lives in Los Angeles, has been investigating the impacts of global arms trade and the Cold War through his Mass Production Weapons trilogy. Inspired by his experiences during apartheid in South Africa, his latest project, centered around the legendary MiG-21 fighter jet, concludes this artistic journey that began 12 years ago.
The first work in the series, the AK-47 Project, gave a new look to one of the most recognizable weapons on the planet by covering it in vibrant patterns. The second, focused on the Casspir — a South African mine-resistant military vehicle — followed the same aesthetic line, transforming the symbol of repression into art loaded with history and identity.
“The goal was to give new meaning to these weapons of war,” says Ziman, who transforms machines of destruction into emblems of resistance, solidarity, and cultural expression. In his hands, weaponry becomes a platform for messages of hope in the face of the painful marks of the 20th century.
During the apartheid regime, an official racial segregation system that lasted from 1948 to 1991 in South Africa, the world was experiencing the tensions of the Cold War, marked by the ideological dispute between the United States and the Soviet Union. It was in this context that the MiG-21 was produced, the most manufactured supersonic fighter jet in history, with over 12,500 units. “It is still in operation today, just like the Casspir and the AK-47,” notes the artist. “But wanting to make a MiG is one thing. Having a 15-meter-long one in your studio is another.”
The MiG-21 Project goes beyond the ornamented jet. The work also includes cinematic photographic portraits and afrofuturistic costumes inspired by military uniforms, traditional African fabrics, and references to space exploration.
The transformation of the fighter involved the meticulous work of artisans from Zimbabwe and Ndebele women from the Mpumalanga province in South Africa — internationally known for their mastery of beadwork, a symbol of cultural identity, rites of passage, and, since the last century, political resistance against colonial erasure.
Ziman uses this past to reflect on contemporary issues such as the arms race, structural racism, modern colonialism, and social inequalities. Part of the funds raised from the project is being donated to the Ukrainian people in support of their war against Russia.
The installation will be on display in Seattle later this year. The MiG-21 Project will be on display from June 21, 2025, to January 26, 2026, at the Museum of Flight. More information is available on Ralph Ziman’s official website.
Source and images: This is Colossal / YouTube. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
