Collectors to Launch Artwork into Space to Draw attention to climate change in Africa

The African Artists for Development (AAD)—a charitable organization founded by French collectors Gervanne and Matthias Leridon in 2009—is planning to launch an artwork by a contemporary African artist into space in order to spotlight a data-collection mission that will attempt to measure how climate change is impacting Africa. The research will ultimately be used to help leaders of African countries make decisions about sustainable development, agricultural practices, and other polices. The announcement comes less than a year after artist Trevor Paglen sent a sculpture, Orbital Reflector, into space on the rocket SpaceX Falcon 9.