Born in 1980 in Strasbourg, France, Elyse Galiano obtained her bachelor’s degree in applied arts in Strasbourg. Subsequently, she studied fine arts in Besançon, France, which she completed with the diploma DNSEP (level Master) in 2004. To extend her practical skills, she entered the Atelier de Couture of Caroline (tailoring studio) in Ixelles, Belgium. During her studies, the artist frequented internships and artist residences. In particular, she made an internship at the Nouveau Théâtre in Besançon. After her studies, she worked for several years at the Opéra la Monnaie in Brussels, where she operated in the studios for sculpture, tapestry, dyeing and accessories of costumes. Later, she worked as scenographer and costume designer for several theatres like the Théâtre de la Guimbarde, Charleroi, Belgium and the Lily & Compagnie, Tournai, Belgium.
These activities were guiding for Elyse’s “individual” artistic practice. Often, her installations evoke stage designs, where fabric plays an important role. Since 2006 arises a passion for embroidery, which is reflected in her creative outcome. Thereby, the thread is increasingly replaced by natural hair, due to her explicit interest in female history and the role of women in society. This research became manifest in the artist’s solo exhibitions and participations, starting in 2014. “Apolline, Constance et les autres …” (Spazio Testoni, Bologna, 25 November 2017 – 13 January 2018) was her first solo show in Italy. Besides the embroidery on canvas of the title giving series, there were portraits in natural hair (De corps et d’esprit), a brass wire installation and one room dedicated to female handiwork. Like for the larger canvas hair embroidery, Elyse stitched texts for “Ouvrage de dames” from ancient manuals for female manners on handkerchiefs. Our Artwork of the Month of March 2018, “Huisvrouw” (Housewife) is from the series “Apolline, Constance et les autres …”
With her sculptural installations, she was represented in many solo and group shows, mainly in France, Belgium and Italy. After the double personal exhibition “Fil rouge” with Donatella Lombardo at the gallery Contemporanea 2 in Florence (April 2018), the Milanese Manuel Zoia Gallery dedicated its booth to Elyse’s works at the BOOMING Contemporary Art Show in Bologna (January 2020). Our Artwork of the Month of October 2021 “Conversation” was for the first time there on view.
Moreover, she created decors for festivals, gives workshops in embroidery and intervenes in schools (Mus-e asbl, Brussels). During her long-lasting activity at various theatres, she made textile features, stage designs and costumes for several productions. Elyse created the scenography for the plays “Alba”, “Rouge, fil rouge” and “Lisières” for the Théâtre de la Guimbarde.
Her most recent exhibition participation was in December 2024. Invited by the Belgian journalist, author, director of documentaries and novelist Myriam Leroy, 12 artists interpretated 4300 hate and antifeminist messages from a private Facebook group. Elyse’s contribution, “C’était le bon temps, le sexisme pépouze.” (It was the good time, when sexism was easy-going.) is our Artwork of the Month / April 2025.
Elyse lives and works in Le Mans, France.