Art restorers have taken down a deteriorating graffiti work by Banksy, known as "The Migrant Child," from a building that overlooks a Venetian canal.
This restoration is funded by Italian Banca Ifis, the owner of the building, aiming to preserve the artwork for future public exhibition, as officials announced on Thursday.
The removal from the wall of Palazzo San Pantalon was succesfully executed in collaboration with individuals associated with Banksy.
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.
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.
Main Image: The Migrant Child, Banksy Credit Massimo Listri