Venice's Banksy mural 'Migrant Child' removed for renovation and restoration

Art restorers have successfully taken down a deteriorating graffiti piece by the renowned street artist Banksy, known as "The Migrant Child," from a building that overlooks a Venetian canal.

This initiative is funded by Italian Banca Ifis, aiming to preserve the artwork for future public exhibition, as officials announced on Thursday.

The removal from the wall of Palazzo San Pantalon was executed in collaboration with individuals associated with the enigmatic British street artist, as stated by the Venice-based bank’s Ifis art program, which promotes art and culture.

The artwork, which portrays a shipwrecked child with feet submerged in the lagoon waters of Venice, holding a pink smoke bomb and wearing a lifejacket, first appeared along Rio di San Pantalon in May 2019 and has been acknowledged by Banksy.

It has been marked on online maps, turning it into a popular tourist attraction.

According to Banca Ifis, neglect had led to approximately one-third of the artwork deteriorating.

The restoration process is being managed by Federico Borgogni, who had previously cleaned the surface and removed dust before detaching a section of the wall late Wednesday night, as per a statement from Banca Ifis.

While the bank is funding the project, it has not disclosed the cost of the operation.

Once the restoration is finished, the bank plans to showcase the artwork to the public as part of free cultural events organized by Ifis art.

However, no specific timeline has been provided.