Banksy, Venice and a boat driver with a rebellious streak

The Venice Biennale is always full of surprises, but this was certainly one of the more memorable art adventures!

Together with art adviser Valentina Tintori who had heard that Banksy had created a work in Venice called The Migrant Child, we set off to see the work hidden along a secluded Venetian canal. Getting there, however, was half the fun. A rather enterprising water-taxi driver agreed to take us where boats weren't supposed to go, breaking a few rules along the way and, in quite spectacular fashion, reversing his speedboat backwards into the narrow canal so we could get a proper look.

And there it was: Banksy at his best. At the 2019 Venice Biennale, The Migrant Child depicts a young child in a life jacket holding a pink smoke flare above the Venetian water. Behind the striking image is a powerful commentary on migration and the plight of refugees crossing the sea.

It was painted on the canal-facing wall of the Palazzo San Pantalon (in the Santa Croce/Dorsoduro area) right above the water level, symbolizing the global refugee crisis.

The mural has since disappeared from its original location. After years of exposure to Venice's salt water and humidity, the deteriorating section of wall was carefully removed in 2025 for conservation and restoration. It has since found a new home at the Arsenale.

A Banksy, a slightly rebellious boat captain and an unforgettable Venetian detour. Not your usual Biennale visit — and certainly one of the more entertaining ways to experience art!