A cinematic lunar experience lands in Boston, and a symbol of war is transformed into art

Boston Globe

2 days ago

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The Museum of Flight in Seattle hosts the world premiere of 'The MiG-21 Project.'
Kari Bodnarchuk
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THERE
Symbol of war transformed into art
A fighter jet encased in more than 20 million colorful glass beads — painstakingly strung together by hand with cotton thread and wire — takes center stage in a fascinating new exhibit premiering at the Museum of Flight in Seattle. 'The MiG-21 Project' runs through Jan. 26 and features the final work produced by South African artist Ralph Ziman as part of his 'Weapons of Mass Production' project, during which the artist took objects of war — AK-47s, a mine-resistant Casspir military vehicle, and, in this exhibit, the most mass-produced supersonic fighter jet in the world — and turned them into stunning works of art. The aim: to encourage viewers to reflect on historical events and current conflicts, from apartheid to the militarization of police forces around the world. For this project, an icon of war and violence — a Cold War-era fighter jet measuring 51 feet long with a 24-foot wingspan — has been transformed into a symbol of beauty, collaboration, and imagination. Watch a 25-minute documentary about 'The MiG-21 Project,' which includes information on the teams of South African and US artists who created beaded panels to fit over almost every inch of the plane — from the tires and afterburners to the tip of the refueling probe — and interviews with the plane's original pilots. The exhibit also includes Afro-futuristic flight suits and helmets made with colorful glass beads and salvaged parts such as buttons, switches, and hoses from an authentic fighter jet; large-scale artistic photographs showing models in beaded regalia in front of the war objects; and strips of beads that you can touch — a great tactile element. See the main exhibit in the
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The ergonomic Moonbird device — essentially a handheld breathing coach — guides you through breathing techniques that can help with relaxation and reduced anxiety.
Christine Smeyers
EVERYWHERE
Alleviate travel stress and jet lag with this clever device
If road traffic, plane trips, family vacations, or other stressors make you apprehensive about summer travel, consider checking out a device that may help you calm your nerves. The ergonomic Moonbird device — essentially a handheld breathing coach — guides you through breathing techniques that can help with relaxation and reduced anxiety, potentially make stressful travel situations more manageable, or even assist with falling asleep faster and overcoming jetlag. First, download the Moonbird app, set up a free account, and sync the device to your phone. Give the device a gentle shake to wake it up, place your thumb over the black sensor, and then keep pace with the breathing exercises, such as 4-7-8 breathing and box breathing, both techniques for reducing stress and anxiety. Choose the duration of each exercise and whether or not you want audio. The device gently balloons out and retracts while tracking your heart rate and heart rate variability, and a calm voice guides you through breathing exercises (the device also works without the app, offering limited breathing exercises without audio guidance — perfect for bedtime or air travel). If nothing else, this handy device might help you forget about traffic, flying, and family drama for a while. The company has released new Moodbuddy bear- and bird-shaped breathing devices in smaller sizes for kids. $199 Moodbird, $89 Moodbuddy.
www.moonbird.life
KARI BODNARCHUK
Kari Bodnarchuk can be reached at