Restored Banksy Mural to Tour Venice Canals

A Banksy mural removed from a 17th-century palazzo in Venice last year has been restored and will tour the city's canals this weekend. The work, titled Migrant Child, was unveiled near the Arsenale, a Biennale site, following conservation funded by Banca Ifis. The mural depicts a child holding a flare and wearing a life vest, referencing the global refugee crisis. It was sprayed onto Palazzo San Pantalon in 2019 and is one of only two works in Italy officially attributed to Banksy. Italy's ministry of culture announced in 2023 that Banca Ifis would restore the piece, sparking debate over preservation versus decay. The bank purchased the palazzo in 2024 and commissioned Zaha Hadid Architects for its restoration. Six years of neglect caused about a third of the work to fade. Restoration was supervised by Federico Borgogni, who also oversaw the 2021 removal of Banksy's Aachoo! from a Bristol house. Banca Ifis stated the mural will be made accessible through free projects organized by Ifis art in agreement with Venetian authorities. It is unclear if the mural will return to Palazzo San Pantalon.