The Museum of Flight’s dazzling new exhibit for 2025 is the world premiere of The MiG-21 Project, South African artist Ralph Ziman’s 5-year, multidisciplinary project transforming a decommissioned Cold War-era, Soviet-designed MiG-21 fighter jet into a stunning work of art entirely covered in tens of millions of colorful glass beads.
Join us for an art-filled day of activities and of course access to our new exhibit! Engage in community art projects, beading activities, and more. And don't miss a special screening of The MiG-21 Project's debut documentary in our Theater followed by a talk with Ralph Ziman, the artist behind The MiG-21 Project.
A detailed schedule for Opening Day will be available closer to the event.
Event Details:
Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Opening Day activities, including access to The MiG-21 Project exhibit, are FREE for Members and included with general admission.
Joining us as a group? Learn more about our discounts for groups of 10 or more.
The MiG-21 Project Documentary
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM | William M. Allen Theater
The 25-minute long documentary details the entirety of the artistic process from Ralph Ziman’s inspiration for the project and acquisition of the MiG-21, to the international collaboration to create the beadwork and assemble the art piece, to the project’s unveiling at The Museum of Flight. Also covered in the film is background on the MiG-21, including details about the plane used (decommissioned tail number 8971) and how MiGs’ presence in the Angolan Civil War ultimately hastened the end of white rule in South Africa. See historical footage and personal interviews, including the Polish pilot who flew tail number 8971 in the 1980s, a South African Border War pilot and the team of artists and craftspeople in Southern Africa and the United States who took on the huge task of covering the aircraft in tens of millions of glass beads.
Panel Discussion and Live Q&A
The panel will discuss the artist and filmmakers’ personal experiences with the MiG while growing up in South Africa, the historical material discovered while weaving the story of The MiG-21 Project together, the project’s technical details, and delve into the artistic, conceptual and sociopolitical interrogations that come with reclaiming salvaged objects of war into works of art. How do we, as individuals, reckon with our own individual histories and experiences through art? Moderated by Cody Othoudt, Lead Exhibit Developer at The Museum of Flight
Panelists | ||
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Ralph Ziman South African Artist & Filmmaker | Nic Hofmeyr South African Cinematographer & Photographer | |
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Paul Duran-Lemos Documentarian, Cinematographer & Editor | Nick Bonamy Project Manager | |
