At the end of June 1831, underwater volcanic activity caused a new island to emerge in the Strait of Sicily, instantly sparking curiosity and interest. However, it sank beneath the waves of the Mediterranean just a few months after its appearance. Clément Cogitore: Ferdinandea, the ephemeral island [Clément Cogitore: Ferdinandea, the ephemeral island] is based on this historical fact as the starting point of an experimental fiction. Between utopia and dystopia, the artist questions the reemergence of the island and its possible futures in the face of our contemporary challenges. The exhibition, presented for the first time in France, resonates with the scientific and cultural project of the Mucem which recently acquired the installation Ferdinandea by Clément Cogitore.