The Alchemy of Aviation: The Sculptural World of Michail Pirgelis In the quiet intersection of industrial decay and poetic abstraction, the work of Michail Pirgelis emerges as a profound meditation on the passage of time. Born in Essen, Germany, in 1976, Pirgelis has carved out a singular niche in contemporary sculpture by breathing new life into the skeletal remains of the jet age. His practice is not merely one of recycling, but of a deep, almost archaeological excavation of technological history. By sourcing authentic aviation materials—often salvaged from the sun-bleached aircraft scrapy…