A new online, interactive exhibition celebrating the 40th anniversary of NASA’s Voyager spacecrafts’ Golden Records is raising funds for three organizations, one of them Cornell’s Carl Sagan Institute (CSI). “A Message from Earth” represents a “collage of the contemporary human condition,” according to exhibit organizer WeTransfer’s press release. The exhibit features new and exclusive pieces from 40 leading artists, musicians, photographers, authors and scientists from 20 countries, and “pay tribute to the ambitious, optimistic spirit of the original Golden Record.”
The exhibition’s intention, according to WeTransfer’s announcement, is to “relay a message of goodwill and encourage further exploration” while raising awareness and funding for CSI, Astronomers without Borders, and the SETI Institute. WeTransfer is providing $10,000 grants to each institution to initiate public donations, and the project will be commemorated in a $15 limited edition zine with 100% of generated revenues going to the three non-profits.
Artwork by Sophy Hollington, included in the "A Message from Earth" exhibit
“WeTransfer came from the creative community, and as a company we embrace projects like the Voyager Golden Record to inspire us,” said Stephen Canfield, WeTransfer’s VP of Marketing. “The Voyager Golden Record shows what we can do when we come together to create and share something bigger than us, and that feels like a welcome message in 2017. We hope others feel the same, and that we can use this exhibit to raise funding for more exploration and selfless acts of cultural diplomacy in the years to come.”
This is not the first fundraiser for CSI inspired by the Voyager mission. The Golden Record was released on vinyl for the first time in 2017, as part of a kickstarter campaign led by Ozma Records. The highly successful campaign sold out quickly, but CD and LP boxsets were recently made available for purchase again. Portions of the proceeds are donated to the Carl Sagan Institute by Ozma Records. Boxsets can be ordered from Ozma Records.
