Hi, I’m Selene Garresio, a visual Italian artist whose practice spans graphic, communication and service design, based in Milan. I’m not chasing graphic virtuosity or software tricks; I care about the approach to the project, the idea, and how it can shape meaning. I grew up playing with WordArt, constantly changing fonts in my dad’s documents and drawing desktop backgrounds in Windows Vista MS Paint for my primary school teacher. Today I’m focused on illustration, graphic design, type design, concept layouts and branding. I believe branding means interpreting, empathizing, building and writing a character for a concept we trust. I’m not the best at expressing myself verbally, but I can tell stories through images, and I’m constantly a work in progress—which can be annoying for friends and family, and sometimes for me.

Selene Garresio

Hi, I’m Selene Garresio, a visual Italian artist whose practice spans graphic, communication and service design, based in Milan. I’m not chasing graphic virtuosity or software tricks; I care about the approach to the project, the idea, and how it can shape meaning. I grew up playing with WordArt, constantly changing fonts in my dad’s documents and drawing desktop backgrounds in Windows Vista MS Paint for my primary school teacher. Today I’m focused on illustration, graphic design, type design, concept layouts and branding. I believe branding means interpreting, empathizing, building and writing a character for a concept we trust. I’m not the best at expressing myself verbally, but I can tell stories through images, and I’m constantly a work in progress—which can be annoying for friends and family, and sometimes for me.

Available to hire

Hi, I’m Selene Garresio, a visual Italian artist whose practice spans graphic, communication and service design, based in Milan. I’m not chasing graphic virtuosity or software tricks; I care about the approach to the project, the idea, and how it can shape meaning. I grew up playing with WordArt, constantly changing fonts in my dad’s documents and drawing desktop backgrounds in Windows Vista MS Paint for my primary school teacher. Today I’m focused on illustration, graphic design, type design, concept layouts and branding. I believe branding means interpreting, empathizing, building and writing a character for a concept we trust. I’m not the best at expressing myself verbally, but I can tell stories through images, and I’m constantly a work in progress—which can be annoying for friends and family, and sometimes for me.

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Language

Italian
Fluent
English
Advanced
French
Beginner
German
Beginner

Work Experience

Communication Designer and Content Manager at Hooks s.r.l.
July 1, 2024 - September 12, 2025
Responsible for communications design and content management, developing visual systems and coordinating brand assets across channels.
Exhibition Designer / Service Design Exposition at Fondazione AEM (Power for?)
July 1, 2024 - September 12, 2025
Participation in service design exposition 'Power for?' – planned, designed and presented exhibition interfaces with focus on user journeys.
Exhibition Designer at Casello Cantore – Partnership with Comune di Milano
June 30, 2024 - September 12, 2025
Service design exhibition; contributed to exposition design and coordination with city partners.
Exhibition Designer / Co-curator at Lanterna Magazine
December 1, 2024 - September 12, 2025
Visual project and co-curatorship for Anthropogenic Narratives – Experiencing and Communicating Non-Human Languages; involvement in exhibition design.
Social Media Manager Intern at Hooks s.r.l.
December 1, 2024 - September 12, 2025
Social media management, content creation, and community engagement aligned with branding guidelines.
Graphic/Exhibition Design Intern at Studiodieci Citygallery Vercelli
December 1, 2018 - September 12, 2025
Graphic design and exhibition design work as part of internship.
Visual / Exhibition Designer at Lanterna Magazine
June 30, 2019 - September 12, 2025
Visual design contributions for Lanterna Magazine visuals and related editorial projects.
Social media manager intern at Hook s.r.l.
December 31, 2024 - September 12, 2025
Responsible for planning and managing Hook s.r.l.'s social media content, coordination with marketing, content creation and community engagement.
Communication designer and content manager at Hook s.r.l.
March 1, 2024 - Present
Design and content management for communications; digital design tasks; collaboration with marketing and branding teams.
Intern at Studiodieci Citygallery
February 1, 2018 - Present
Graphic and exhibition design support for Citygallery projects (graphic design and exhibition design).
Exhibition Designer at Triennale Milano
March 22, 2023 - Present
Member of the Exhibition Design Team for Anthropogenic Narratives: Communicating and Experiencing Non-Human Perspectives (2023). I shaped details across the full process—from concept and project planning to material research and staging—exploring how non-human subjects narrate the relationship between humans and nature, with design explorations aimed at provoking questions rather than certainties.
Service Designer / Project Team Member at Comune di Milano (Open Casello – REPLAY project)
June 13, 2024 - September 12, 2025
Collaborated on REPLAY, a service for Milanese youth designed to promote socialization through play and community-building via games and urban furniture. Contributed to service concepts, materials research, and communication strategy, aiding the development of a network of ‘third places’ for youth.
Service System Designer at ATHOLU
January 1, 2023 - Present
Engaged in a sustainable agriculture initiative presenting a growing pods system as part of a floating farm, utilizing hydroponic concepts and solar-powered water production. Focused on resource efficiency and a farm-to-table approach, plus a subservice for optimizing goods transport to enhance sustainability and resilience.
UX/UI Designer / Concept Developer at Bauhaus University Community
January 1, 2025 - Present
URBAN TOGHERNESS PHOTOBOOTH: an interactive, technology-enhanced photobooth designed to foster spontaneous sharing within the Bauhaus University community; responsible for concept creation, user experience, and visual strategy to encourage memory-making.
Illustrator / Graphic Designer at SHELL
January 1, 2025 - Present
Picture book design, text & illustration for a children’s book project.
Curator / Content Designer at Multiverso (in collaboration with Simonetta Ferrante)
January 1, 2021 - Present
SEGNO: Monographic project; co-curation of contents and layout design for a zine exploring emptiness and its reflection in design.
Poster Designer at ETERNIT
January 1, 2021 - Present
Poster project addressing environmental health issues linked to asbestos; visual communication of ongoing ecological impact in Casale Monferrato.
Speculative Designer at FLOGISTO
January 1, 2022 - Present
Speculative design project exploring energy transition; contributed to concept development and brand identity, and built a prototype model.
Photographer / Portrait Artist at Self-initiated
January 1, 2022 - Present
Portrait Studio: experimentation with people, lights and shadows; focus on composition language and expressive intensity.
Typeface Designer at Gawain Regular
January 1, 2023 - Present
Typeface creation addressing a Gothic imagery with a contemporary corporate character to appeal to a broader audience.
Game Designer at Profana Commedia
January 1, 2021 - Present
Produced all spritesheets for a videogame telling Dante’s Beatrice’s descent into Hell; studied movement sequences and narrative implications for fantasy bodies.
Exhibition Designer at Triennale Milano
March 22, 2023 - Present
Contributed to the exhibition Anthropogenic Narratives, supporting the exhibition design process from concept to staging. Responsibilities included idea generation, project planning, research of materials, and overseeing staging details to present non-human perspectives (mushrooms, rocks, CO2, algae, bacteria, sun, moon, soil, ice). Design explorations were aimed at provoking reflection on the human-nature relationship and how knowledge can shape future discourse.
Service Designer at Comune di Milano / Open Casello
June 13, 2024 - Present
Collaborated on the REPLAY service system concept design for Milanese youth. Led cross-disciplinary efforts to assemble a digital-physical play system that promotes collaboration, socialization, and urban furniture usage. Helped define interaction rules, contributed to material considerations, and supported communication and visual strategy to engage youth across scales from product to city.
Service System Designer at ATHOLU
January 1, 2023 - Present
Worked on a sustainable agriculture project introducing growing pods as floating farm components. Focused on service development, ecology of resources, and a farm-to-table philosophy with solar-powered water production. Contributed to the integration of a goods transport subservice and the broader strategy to reimagine farming practices in the face of climate change.
UX/UI Designer / Concept Designer at Bauhaus University Community
January 1, 2025 - Present
Led concept creation, desk-and-field research, user experience considerations, and visual communication for URBAN TOGHERNESS PHOTOBOOTH. Designed interactive elements and supported explanations of the installation to foster spontaneous moments of memory-sharing among students and visitors.
Illustrator / Picture Book Designer at Shell project
January 1, 2025 - Present
Created text and illustration for a picture book titled SHELL. The fable uses minimalistic symbols to explore time and abstraction, centering on a giraffe as a metaphor for disproportion and growth. The narrative invites readers to interpret anxiety and personal growth through dialogue with friends, offering multiple layers of meaning for kids and adults alike.
Speculative Designer at FLOGISTO
January 1, 2022 - Present
Collaborated on a speculative design project exploring energy futures after fossil fuel depletion. Helped shape the branding identity and built the prototype model for the energy-generation concept, highlighting a societal shift toward sustainable energy and novel value creation.
Sprite Designer / Game Artist at Profana Commedia
January 1, 2021 - Present
Created sprite sheets and studied movement sequences for Dante’s Beatrice descending into Hell. Analyzed how different fantasy bodies would move and interact within the game's narrative, contributing to storytelling through visual design and character articulation.
Photographer / Portrait Studio at Self-initiated
January 1, 2022 - Present
Studio portrait experiments focused on people, lights and shadows. Explored composition language and the intensity of expression through photography.
Curator / Layout Designer at Multiverso & Simonetta Ferrante (Segno)
January 1, 2021 - Present
Co-created a zine about the concept of emptiness and its reflection in design. Curated contents and handled layout design to present the artist’s career and relationships with emptiness.
Graphic Designer at ETERNIT
January 1, 2021 - Present
Produced poster design addressing ecological and health issues linked to asbestos dust and its long-term impact on Casale Monferrato, connecting local history with visual communication.
Illustrator / Freelance at Illustrations
January 1, 2020 - Present
Engaged in various illustration projects exploring portraiture and narrative imagery, employing watercolor, pencils, pastels and digital methods to convey mood and character.
Typeface Designer at Gawain Regular
January 1, 2023 - Present
Created Gawain Regular—a gothic-inspired typeface designed to bridge historical aesthetics with contemporary branding suitability and broad visual appeal.
Game Designer / Sprite Artist at Profana Commedia
January 1, 2021 - Present
Developed sprite sheets and sequences for a game narrative based on Dante’s Beatrice, focusing on movement logic and visual storytelling through character design.
Illustrator at SHELL
January 1, 2025 - Present
Picture book design, text & illustration exploring time and abstraction through minimal symbolism; protagonist is a giraffe, emphasizing open interpretation and multi-reader possibilities.
Designer at FLOGISTO
December 31, 2022 - September 12, 2025
Speculative design on energy crisis: a future where energy is scarce and monetized through a novel fuel derived from controversial sources; includes brand identity and a prototype model.
Photographer / Reporter at Sartoria Arrigo
January 1, 2022 - Present
Reportage in Sartoria Arrigo, a lab where opera costumes are handmade; captured studio portraits exploring light, shadow and expression.
Portrait Photographer at Portrait Studio
January 1, 2022 - Present
Studio portrait experiments emphasizing composition, light and mood; practice in people photography.
Content Curator / Layout Designer at SEGNO
January 1, 2021 - Present
Monographic project with Multiverso and Milanese artist Simonetta Ferrante; curated contents and layout design for a zine exploring emptiness in design.
Poster Designer at ETERNIT
January 1, 2021 - Present
Poster project addressing ecological and health concerns related to asbestos and the Casale Monferrato context; visual exploration of memory and impact.
Illustrator at Lucetto e Pietro Ramella Editorial Illustration Competition
January 1, 2020 - September 12, 2025
First Place in editorial illustration competition; portrait of a village of Oneglia depicted as a young woman in traditional clothes, with oil as wealth and colorful house patterns evocative of sailors’ homes.
Typeface Designer at Gawain Regular
January 1, 2023 - Present
Typeface created to address scarcity of Gothic imagery in contemporary typography, with a corporate-like character suitable for broader audiences.
Game Designer at Profana Commedia
January 1, 2021 - Present
Sprite sheets and game sequences for a videogame retelling Dante’s Beatrice descending into Hell; studied movement sequences and consequences for various fantasy bodies.
Exhibition Designer at Triennale Milano
March 22, 2023 - September 12, 2025
Worked in the Exhibition Design Team, caring about details through the whole process—from idea and project conception to materials research and staging.
Service Designer at Comune di Milano / Open Casello
June 13, 2024 - September 12, 2025
REPLAY: service system concept design for Milanese youth; mixed digital and physical components; aimed to promote collaboration and youth-driven city shaping through urban furniture and a network of 'third places'.
Service System Designer at ATHOLU
December 31, 2023 - September 12, 2025
Uncertain Times – service system design project; integrated diverse social components to foster sustainable agriculture and community resilience.
UX/UI Designer / Concept Designer at Bauhaus University
December 31, 2025 - September 12, 2025
Urban Togherness Photo Booth: interactive, technology-enhanced photobooth to foster spontaneous sharing in university community; concept creation, desk research, user experience and visual storytelling.
Illustrator / Text & Illustration at Shell
December 31, 2025 - September 12, 2025
Shell: picture book design and illustration exploring minimal time and abstract symbolism; traverses themes of growth and empathy with a child/adult gaze.
Designer at Flogisto
December 31, 2022 - September 12, 2025
Flogisto: speculative design project about energy transition; identity and prototype development exploring ethical energy futures.
Photographer at Sartoria Arrigo
December 31, 2022 - September 12, 2025
reportage at Sartoria Arrigo documenting costume lab and craftsmanship for opera and ballet.
Portrait Photographer at Portrait Studio
December 31, 2022 - September 12, 2025
Studio portraiture experiments focusing on composition, light and expression.
Curator / Content Designer at Multiverso / Simonetta Ferrante
December 31, 2021 - September 12, 2025
SEGNO: co-produced a zine about emptiness in design; curatorship of contents and layout design.
Graphic Designer / Poster Designer at Eternit
December 31, 2021 - September 12, 2025
ETERNIT: poster design addressing ecological and health concerns related to asbestos legacy.
Illustrator at Self-employed
December 31, 2020 - September 12, 2025
ILLUSTRATIONS: ongoing practice across various media including drawing and painting.
Typeface Designer at Gawain Regular
December 31, 2023 - September 12, 2025
GAWAIN REGULAR: Gothic-inspired typeface designed to bridge historical imagery with contemporary branding needs.
Game Designer at Profana Commedia
December 31, 2021 - September 12, 2025
PROFANA COMMEDIA: spritesheets and sequencing for a videogame describing Dante’s Beatrice story journey through Hell.

Education

Master's Degree in International Master in Product-Service System Design at Politecnico di Milano - School of Design
January 1, 2023 - September 12, 2025
Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Design at Politecnico di Milano - School of Design
January 11, 2030 - January 1, 2023
Diploma di Liceo Artistico - VC (100Lode/100) at Liceo Artistico “Ambrogio Alciati”
January 11, 2030 - January 1, 2020
Master's Degree (International) in Product-Service System Design at Politecnico di Milano – School of Design
January 1, 2023 - September 12, 2025
Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Design at Politecnico di Milano – School of Design
January 11, 2030 - January 1, 2023
Diploma di Liceo Artistico at Liceo artistico “Ambrogio Alciati”
January 11, 2030 - January 1, 2020
Erasmus Exchange Program at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
January 1, 2025 - September 12, 2025

Qualifications

TOEIC Admission Test for International Master – Politecnico di Milano
January 11, 2030 - September 12, 2025
Cambridge ESOL English Language Proficiency – B2
January 11, 2030 - September 12, 2025
Diploma di Liceo Artistico – 100L/100
January 11, 2030 - September 12, 2025
Cambridge English: B2 level (ESOL exam)
January 11, 2030 - September 12, 2025
TOEIC Admission Test for International Master
January 11, 2030 - September 12, 2025

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Education, Professional Services, Software & Internet, Government, Other