From June 6th to September 20th

Artist: Elisa Giardina Papa

 

Image: Elisa Giardina Papa, She Flickered In and Out of History, 2026

She Flicked In and Out of History, by Elisa Giardina Papa, examines the geological, mythological, and political narratives of the Mediterranean through the story of an island that appeared and disappeared in 1831. The House of Bourbon, which ruled Sicily at the time, sent officials to drive an oar into the island to claim sovereignty over it. The Royal Navy also claimed the territory for the United Kingdom; the French Navy landed there, and Spain likewise expressed interest. However, on December 17, barely five months after its appearance, the island vanished beneath the sea. *She Flickers In and Out of History* blurs the lines between historical fact and speculation, highlighting the transformative potential of this island that resisted annexation. Conceived as an environmental and elemental film, the work immerses the viewer in an ecosystem of underwater matter that emerges erratically toward the surface. Filmed in Pantelleria, Stromboli, the eastern coast of Sicily, Mount Etna, and the submerged slopes of the island itself, the piece deliberately excludes any explicit historical figures or events. The film explores queer and decolonial temporalities juxtaposed with elemental forces, challenging preconceived notions of borders, belonging, and sovereignty in both historical and contemporary contexts.

E. V.