From 17 July to 6 September 2026, London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) presents She Flickered In and Out of History, an ambitious new installation by Italian artist Elisa Giardina Papa. Combining immersive video, sculpture, photography, poetry and sound, the exhibition tells the remarkable story of an island that appeared in the Mediterranean before disappearing beneath the sea just six months later.
Inspired by a little-known episode of nineteenth-century history, the exhibition explores questions of identity, colonial ambition and belonging through a work that is as visually striking as it is intellectually rewarding.
Who Is Elisa Giardina Papa?
Born in Italy and now living between New York and Sicily, Elisa Giardina Papa is an interdisciplinary artist whose work examines technology, labour, history and the politics of place. Her installations often blend documentary research with speculative storytelling, encouraging audiences to reconsider overlooked narratives and forgotten histories.
Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Venice Biennale, where her acclaimed U Scantu: A Disorderly Tale premiered in 2022. She Flickered In and Out of History forms the second chapter in an ongoing trilogy exploring hidden histories of the Mediterranean, continuing her fascination with landscapes shaped by migration, myth and memory.
The Story of an Island That Refused to Belong
The exhibition centres on the extraordinary events of 1831, when an underwater volcanic eruption created a new island between Sicily and Tunisia. Almost immediately, European powers competed to claim sovereignty over the newly emerged land.
Before any nation could truly possess it, however, nature intervened. Just six months after its dramatic appearance, the island slipped back beneath the Mediterranean, denying every attempt at annexation.
For Giardina Papa, this fleeting island becomes a powerful metaphor. Rather than viewing it simply as a geological curiosity, she imagines it as an act of resistance, a landform that refused ownership and remained beyond colonial control.
An Immersive Journey Through Fire, Sea and Myth
The exhibition is anchored by a large free-standing LED screen showing footage filmed on Mount Etna, Stromboli and across the submerged volcanic landscapes of the Mediterranean. These dramatic locations provide the backdrop for a poetic meditation on time, history and transformation.
A haunting poem, spoken in Sicilian and accompanied by an original score by New York composer duendita, guides visitors through the installation. Written by poet Megan Fernandes using Giardina Papa’s archival research and screenplay, the narration blends historical fact with mythology, weaving together ideas of decolonisation, queer histories and alternative ways of understanding time.
A Meditation on Memory and Belonging
Although grounded in history, She Flickered In and Out of History feels remarkably relevant today. The exhibition raises enduring questions about borders, ownership and national identity without offering easy answers.
It references colonial and identity conflicts which have erupted since the volcano briefly flickered.
Exhibition Dates and Ticket Prices
She Flickered In and Out of History runs at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), London, from 17 July to 6 September 2026.
Admission is £7.
