South African Artist Turns MiG-21 Jet into Beaded Masterpiece

South African artist Ralph Ziman, now based in Los Angeles, is an artist who made work from weapons to investigate the violence of the past in South Africa and in the world. Among Ziman's most recent works are beaded replicas of AK-47 rifles, a Casspir armored police vehicle and a MiG-21 fighter jet (including a full-size MiG-21 plane made entirely of approximately 35 million hand-made beads) that were made as part of his "Weapons of Mass Production" series. 

With a strongly anti-violence view and philosophy, Ziman has adventure stories of his own involving guns as part of his life experiences. He chose beads as a medium, they held great cultural significance and the craft of beading could be done with skill and precision. Ziman collaborated with over one hundred artisans in South Africa in bringing the project to bear. Collaborating allowed for ongoing educational programming, through after-school training and job experience, for the artisan's children. 

To learn more about the MiG-21 and other works on display at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, through details about their continuing were exhibited until January 26, 2026. A sale of the MiG-21 was hoped for after the tour and a portion of the proceeds would go to support educational and art therapy programs to support children in Ukraine. 

Ziman's art reconceptualizes instruments of war into instruments of empathy, reflection, dialogue and social change - all while demonstrating the connection between current and past issues.