In the 2000s, De Middel discovered a Zambian space programme led by Edward Makuka Nkoloso, aiming to send the first African to the moon. The Afronauts reimagines this history with creative reconstructions.

Party pairs documentary images with excerpts from Quotations from Chairman Mao Tsetung, offering a contemporary view of Chinese society and the lasting influence of political ideology.

In 2015, De Middel advertised for sex clients to pose for her, resulting in Gentlemen’s Club, a visual exploration of societal stigmas and complex relationships.

These three projects explore the unspoken and forgotten, blending discomfort and curiosity. Pandora compels us to confront hidden complexities of human experience and shadowed narratives.

First image: © From the series The Afronauts, 2012. Cristina De Middel / Magnum Photos

Second image: © From the series Party, 2013. Cristina De Middel / Magnum Photos

Third image: © From the series Gentlemen’s Club, 2022. Cristina De Middel / Magnum Photos