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ABOUT THE ARTIST

Elena Galofaro, known professionally as Elena Bansh, is an award winning Italian artist based in Seoul, South Korea.

She grew up in Milan, where she began studying art from an early age. She later moved to Turin, graduating in Traditional Animation from the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia (National Film School). Driven by her dream of becoming a professional animator, she moved to Japan, learned the language, and completed an internship at an animation studio in Tokyo.

She then moved to London, where she obtained an MA in Visual Communication from the Royal College of Art. Since 2022, she has been working with international clients and travelling across Asia in search of new inspiration.

Her art draws from her experiences across Asia, blending fantasy and surrealism. Her work often features creatures from the sea and the wilderness, infused with a sense of nostalgia and mystery.





CLIENTS

Sanrio, Hello Kitty  |  Maison de Sabré   |  Pokémon  |   Richard Mille   | DC Comics   | Khruangbin   |   NATURE    |   BBC Science Focus   | Apple  |  Domestika   |    Journal of Cell Biology (JCB) | Washington University  |   Gingiberi   |   Vine Pair   |   Majo Ideas
...


INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

The Poster Busan - Winner, 2026, S.Korea
Annual 2026 - Finalist, 2026, Italy 
World Illustration Awards - Listed, 2026, USA
American Illustration 44 - Chosen Winner, 2025, USA
LeBook Emerging Talent Award - Runner Up, 2025, USA/France
World Illustration Award - Listed, 2024, UK
3x3 N.19 - Honorable Mention 2022, USA
Annual 2022 - Silver Medal in Animation, 2022, Italy
JIA (Japanese Illustration Award) - Bronze Medal 2021, Japan
Annual 2021 - Bronze Medal 2021, Italy
iJungle Illustration Award - Merit Award 2020, UK 
World Illustration Award - Longlist 2020, UK
iJungle Illustration Award - Merit Award 2019, UK
Festival International de Imagem de Natureza - Shortlist 2019, Portugal 
Premio Illustri - Shortlist 2019, Italy
ArtKeys Prize - Shortlist 2019, Italy


EXHIBITIONS

‘What’s the Language in your Dreams?’  - URBAN BREAK | Coex Exhibition Center, Seoul, South Korea | August 2026
‘Seoul in a Pond’  - URBAN BREAK | Coex Exhibition Center, Seoul, South Korea | August 2025
Busan EXPO 2030 - Chamber of Commerce and Industry | Seoul, South Korea | Oct 2022
Busan Poster 2022 - BEXCO | Busan, South Korea |  Sept 2022
Elena G. Bansh - M&J Foundation Naro | Seoul, South Korea |  Feb 2022
Tell us a Story - Gerald Moore Gallery | London | Jan-Feb 2022
Volitional Tremor - 2* Guan Gallery | China | July-Aug 2021
Cat Mix - Art Forum AsamiNo Gallery | Japan | July 2021
Terminal - Ugly Duck | London | June 2021
RCA 2021 - Online | Royal College of Art | June 2021
Seasons - King House Art Gallery | UK | May 2021
Work in Progress Show 2021 - Online | Royal College of Art | January 2021
Festival International de Imagem de Natureza - Villa Real | Portugal | 2019
ArtKeys - Castello Angioino Aragonese di Agropoli | Italy | 2019
Illustri - BASE Milano | Italy | Sept 2019




WORKSHOPS

Elena G. Bansh & the Young Artists - M&J Foundation Naro | Seoul, South Korea |  Feb 2022


FEATURED IN

Boooooom website - 2022
PICTOPLASMA - Character Care - 2022
Creative Boom - 2021
AWWW Magazine 2021
HIGHTONE - Fantasy Illustration - 2021


EDUCATION

Royal College of Art (RCA) - MA Visual Communication 2019-2021, London - UK
Cyclone Graphics, Animation Studio - INTERNSHIP, 2018, Tokyo - Japan
Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia (CSC), National Film School - 2D Animation 2014-2016, Torino - Italy





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