Cristina De Middel “The Afronauts”

Cristina De Middel “The Afronauts” at Dillon Gallery in NYC. "...In 1964, still living the dream of their recently gained independence, Zambia started a space program that would put the first African on the moon catching up the US and the Soviet Union in the space race. Only a few optimists supported the project by Edward Makuka, a schoolteacher in charge of presenting the ambitious program and getting the necessary funding. But the financial aid never came, as the United Nations declined their support and one of the astronauts, a 16-year-old girl, became pregnant and had to quit. This is how the heroic initiative turned into a curious episode in African history, surrounded by wars, violence, droughts and hunger."