large-scale portraits of migrants transform venice’s procuratie

100 Black-and-White Portraits Transform the Procuratie Facade

Until September 7th, 2025, Venice’s St. Mark’s Square becomes the stage for Dreams in Transit, a large-scale installation dedicated to the stories and aspirations of migrants. Curated by the Art for Action Foundation and inspired by JR’s Inside Out Project, the work transforms the facade of the historic Procuratie with 100 oversized black-and-white portraits. Installed on one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks, the project brings the subject of migration into the symbolic center of Venice, confronting passersby with both absence and belonging.

The portraits stem from an eight-month journey across Europe by filmmaker and artist Sarah Makharine, who met with 100 recently arrived migrants, listening to their stories and collecting their dreams. Unlike conventional portraiture, each subject is photographed from behind, gazing outward. This unusual perspective shifts attention away from facial identity toward collective experience, evoking both departure and the horizon of possibility. 

The intervention forms part of After Migration, a wider program launched during the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, which examines the long-term social, cultural, and political dimensions of migration. It also resonates with the work of The Human Safety Net’s For Refugees initiative, which since 2017 has supported over 13,000 refugees across six countries through entrepreneurship and training.

all images by Maco Film – Leonardo Mizar, unless stated otherwise

Migration Narratives at The Human Safety Net home in venice

Beyond the public square, the exhibition extends into The Home of The Human Safety Net, where Dreams in Transit, curated by the Art for Action Foundation, continues until March 15th, 2026. Inside, artists and filmmakers expand on the themes of displacement and identity. Sarah Makharine presents the video Echoes of Dreams, while works by Ange Leccia, Lorraine de Sagazan, Anouk Maugein, and the late Leila Alaoui offer contrasting lenses on migration’s personal and collective narratives. The installations trace how stories of movement and loss intersect with resilience and creativity.

A conference, organized with the International Panel on Social Progress, is also part of the program. Associations, researchers, and experts convene at The Home of The Human Safety Net to explore the enduring consequences of migration. During the Venice Film Festival, the short film Sweet Refuge, directed by Maryam Mir and already the recipient of nine international awards, will be screened, followed by a discussion with producer and curator Anadil Hossain. 

By occupying Venice’s central square and one of its historic facades, Dreams in Transit insists that migration is a subject that shapes the shared public sphere. 

Venice’s St. Mark’s Square becomes the stage for Dreams in Transit

a large-scale installation dedicated to the stories and aspirations of migrants | image by LungoLinea Studio

inspired by JR’s Inside Out Project

the work transforms the facade of the historic Procuratie