AFRONAUTS of an impossible dream

-
"We're going to Mars! With a spicegirl, two cats and a missionary".
We are in Zambia, newly independent in 1964.
Edward Makuka Nkoloso, a school teacher, unveils his most secret ambition through a newspaper's article: he wants to take Zambia to conquer the space at the same strength of US and Soviet Union.
Unfortunately Nkoloso' space program failed to receive financial aid and never "blasted-off"!!
50 years later, Spanish photographer Cristina De Middel, while searching for "impossible stories" on the net to find a good idea for a new project, came across this news.   
Afronauts, De Middel's amazing photo project and self published book, was born after this impossible dream.
 
I caught images of this project flipping the pages of RearViewMirror magazine. The project was pointed to me by an artist friend who saw it at Fotografia Europea.
Afronauts has been exhibited worldwide in New York, London, Lagos, Rome amongst other cities.
It was love at the first sight. I felt an immediate connection with the project and the artist.
The stars are shining brightly above dreams.
 
photos © Cristina De Middel 

CRISTINA DE MIDDEL biography
Cristina De Middel (Spain, 1975) is a photographer  based in London that has been working for different newspapers in Spain and with NGO's such as Doctors Without Borders or the Spanish Red Cross for more than 8 years.
She combines her strictly documentary assignments with more personal projects that have been awarded and exhibited in several occasions (incuding PhotoFolio Arles 2012, Deutsche Börse Prize and the Infinty Award from the ICP in New York).
This B-side of Cristina's work  deliberately  asks the audience to question the language and the veracity of photography  as a document, and plays with reconstructions  or archetypes that blur the border between reality and fiction.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A conversation on Sol LeWitt

-
Image
  Yesterday, in the evening, I had a chance to attend an interesting conference at Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome. Adachiara Zevi, Art historian and Architect, was introducing the work of American artist Sol LeWitt.  This conversation was offered in conjunction with the exhibition "Empire State, art in New York today" . Mrs Zevi not only had the chance to be the last one to interview the artist, but she also curated a recent exhibition at Museo Madre (Napoli), "Sol LeWitt. The artist and his artists". Adachiara Zevi Art historian and architect Adachiara Zevi, who penned the first collection of essays by and on Sol LeWitt as well as producing a recent book devoted to Wall Drawings in Italy, will be introducing her audience to the work and thought of this American artist - the man behind a revolution in artistic vocabulary without which it is impossible to understand today's art - and to his unique approach to conceptual art. ...
Read more

Africa is not a country! Coffee time with Camilla Boemio

-
Image
‘Agenda Setting’ (neon series) Africa is not a country! Filippo Peretti © 2016 courtesy Ola-Dele Kuku Projects and LMS Gallery Brussels I first met Camilla Boemio back in 2013 at the Maldives Pavilion during the 55 th Venice Biennale; she was Associate Curator. I had the privilege to get an insight into the exhibition and artists’ work. I was completely fascinated by the Pavilion from different perspectives: the concept, the quality of artwork, the venue, the exhibition set up and the team’s openness especially towards visitors. Ms Boemio walked with me through the venue and I had the chance to be introduced to some of the artists. In that occasion I developed a big respect to the professional but also friendly way she takes her job. It was with no surprise that I welcomed the news she was appointed Curator of the Nigerian Pavilion for this year Architecture Biennale in Venice, it seems to me just a quite obvious result of her professional career. This Pavili...
Read more