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The mural depicts a child in a life vest holding a pink smoke flare. It is one of only two works officially attributed to Banksy in Italy. Fading from years of tide-driven exposure and saltwater erosion, roughly thirty percent of the painting had been lost.<\/p>\n
![\"banksy](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/banksy-venice-zaha-hadid-architects-migrant-child-mural-palazzo-restoration-designboom-01.jpg\")
image courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects<\/p>\n
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zaha hadid architects leads landmark restoration<\/p>\n
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The Banksy<\/strong><\/a> mural\u2019s preservation by Zaha Hadid Architects coincides with a broader overhaul of the Venice palazzo. Banca Ifis<\/a><\/strong> acquired the building in 2024 and selected ZHA<\/strong><\/a>, in collaboration with local firm Th&Ma Architettura<\/a><\/strong>, to lead its transformation into a contemporary exhibition space. Palazzo San Pantalon was once derelict and closed to the public. The redevelopment plan emphasizes public access and integration with the Venice Biennale\u2019s programming, establishing it as a permanent home for young and emerging artists.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The section of wall was detached using angle grinders and hand tools from a barge, then transported to a laboratory. Borgogni<\/strong><\/a> will now stabilize and reposition the image on a honeycomb support, preserving its current state and avoiding full reconstruction of damaged areas.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n contemporary art and historic architecture revived<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The choice to remove Banksy\u2019s The Migrant Child in Venice sparked debate over the ethics of relocating street art. For Banca Ifis, the decision is framed by a responsibility to the artwork\u2019s message, its material vulnerability, and the city\u2019s cultural future. Once restored, the mural will be exhibited publicly as part of free cultural programming, although it remains undecided whether it will return to its original facade.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Zaha Hadid Architects\u2019 involvement introduces a distinctly contemporary layer to the site\u2019s evolution. Known mainly for its sculptural and futuristic design language, the studio\u2019s intervention at San Pantalon represents a rare instance of its work being woven into Venice\u2019s historical fabric.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Banksy\u2019s original intention for The Migrant Child was a comment on migration and humanitarian crisis. As Palazzo San Pantalon becomes a platform for contemporary art, the mural\u2019s restoration speaks to the role of architecture in framing public discourse. Through the combined efforts of conservators and architects, a decaying wall painting is becoming the center of a renewed cultural landmark.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n project info:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n artwork name: <\/strong>The Migrant Child (Naufrago Bambino)<\/p>\n artist:\u00a0<\/strong>Banksy<\/a><\/p>\n location:\u00a0<\/strong>Palazzo San Pantalon, Venice, Italy<\/p>\n restoration architect:\u00a0<\/strong>Zaha Hadid Architects<\/a>, Th&Ma Architettura<\/a><\/p>\n art conservator:<\/strong> Federico Borgogni<\/a><\/p>\n building owner:\u00a0<\/strong>Banca Ifis<\/a><\/p>\n![\"banksy](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/banksy-migrant-child-mural-venice-designboom-1.gif\")
image\u00a0via\u00a0@banksy<\/a><\/p>\n![\"banksy](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/banksy-venice-zaha-hadid-architects-migrant-child-mural-palazzo-restoration-designboom-03.jpg\")
image via Wikimedia Commons<\/a><\/p>\n