Banafsheh Erfanian
Banafsheh Erfanian is a Toronto based painter, illustrator, and educator. She was born in Tehran, Iran. She graduated from Tehran University of Art with a Bachelor of Graphic Design and holds a master's in Illustration. Banafsheh has illustrated many books and magazines and has written more than 25 articles in art reviews. Her work exhibited in 45 exhibitions around the world such as in Iran, Italy, US, Canada, Russia, China, Japan, and Serbia- has won awards such as RBC Arts Access Awards, Canada, 2019 and 2017, The Award of Excellence of Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition, China, 2016; the 1st Prize of The Second Festival of Text Books Illustration, Iran, 2006; the Encouragement Prize of the 15th Noma Concours for Picture Book Illustration, Japan, 2004, among others. Banafsheh has been short-listed in numerous international illustration catalogs and awarded grants from Toronto Art Council, and City of Toronto.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
I am an artist and educator who is always in search of learning new things which gives me the responsibility to give back the knowledge gained to others. I deeply believe that life is the quest for knowledge in a broad sense. Each human being has come to the world to tell their story. self-discovery is a great story to be told which is a journey of searching into the things that offer existential and critical thinking. Everyone can be a story-teller, no matter what they do in their lives. Even chemistry, physics or math formula has beautiful stories to share. I tell my story through art and I am fond of what I do. I do emphasize on imagination as a great tool of expression. The stories I illustrate convey mythical themes and are full of rich imagination. Most of these layered stories for children or adults embody deep philosophical thoughts. The stories that share their message through magical realism or surrealism are very inspirational to me because I see them as a platform through which I illustrate what is beyond reality.
Banafsheh Erfanian is a Toronto based painter, illustrator, and educator. She was born in Tehran, Iran. She graduated from Tehran University of Art with a Bachelor of Graphic Design and holds a master's in Illustration. Banafsheh has illustrated many books and magazines and has written more than 25 articles in art reviews. Her work exhibited in 45 exhibitions around the world such as in Iran, Italy, US, Canada, Russia, China, Japan, and Serbia- has won awards such as RBC Arts Access Awards, Canada, 2019 and 2017, The Award of Excellence of Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition, China, 2016; the 1st Prize of The Second Festival of Text Books Illustration, Iran, 2006; the Encouragement Prize of the 15th Noma Concours for Picture Book Illustration, Japan, 2004, among others. Banafsheh has been short-listed in numerous international illustration catalogs and awarded grants from Toronto Art Council, and City of Toronto.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
I am an artist and educator who is always in search of learning new things which gives me the responsibility to give back the knowledge gained to others. I deeply believe that life is the quest for knowledge in a broad sense. Each human being has come to the world to tell their story. self-discovery is a great story to be told which is a journey of searching into the things that offer existential and critical thinking. Everyone can be a story-teller, no matter what they do in their lives. Even chemistry, physics or math formula has beautiful stories to share. I tell my story through art and I am fond of what I do. I do emphasize on imagination as a great tool of expression. The stories I illustrate convey mythical themes and are full of rich imagination. Most of these layered stories for children or adults embody deep philosophical thoughts. The stories that share their message through magical realism or surrealism are very inspirational to me because I see them as a platform through which I illustrate what is beyond reality.
$150.00 CAD
Acrylics, oil pastels, and paper collage on illustration board (matted and framed).
10x14"
The original artwork size is 5 x 9 inches.
One Thousand and One Nights is a Persian story about Shahryar; a king who is ruling in "India and China", once shocked to learn that his wife is unfaithful, so he has her killed. In his bitterness and grief, he decides that all women are the same. Shahryār begins to marry a succession of virgins only to execute each one the next morning before she has a chance to dishonor him. Eventually, the vizier, whose duty it is to provide them, cannot find any more virgins. Scheherazade (the vizier's daughter, offers herself as the next bride and her father reluctantly agrees. On the night of their marriage, Scheherazade begins to tell the king a tale but does not end it. The king, curious about how the story ends, is thus forced to postpone her execution to hear the conclusion. The next night, as soon as she finishes the tale, she begins (and only begins) a new one, and the king, eager to hear the conclusion of this tale, postpones her execution once again. This goes on for 1,001 nights.
The tales include historical tales, love stories, tragedies, comedies, poems, burlesques, and various forms of erotica. Numerous stories depict jinies, ghouls, apes, sorcerers, magicians, and legendary places, which are often intermingled with real people and geography, not always rationally.
$250.00 CAD
Acrylics on canvas (framed).
13x10.50"
The original artwork size is 8 x 5.50 inches.
$500.00 CAD
Gouache, oil pastels, and paper collage on poster board (matted and framed).
20.50x17"
The original artwork size is 15.50 x 12 inches.
In Zoroastrian mythology, on the last day of the world, all the vicious forces are united in the form of a giant wolf struggling with the virtuous forces of the world in the form of a huge angel. At the end of the day, the angel overcomes the wolf and there would be no wickedness in the world as the light conquers the darkness.
$500.00 CAD
Paper collage, gouache and oil pastels on poster board (matted and framed).
20.50x17"
The original artwork size is 15.50 x 12 inches.
his painting is inspired by Zoroastrian mythology. Tishtrya is a Zoroastrian Rain God who struggles against the drought-bringing demon Apaosha. He is in the form of a pure white horse with Apaosha in the form of a black horse. Apaosha soon gains the upper hand over Tishtrya, who was weakened from the lack of sufficient prayers and sacrifices from humankind. The Creator Ahura Mazda, offers a sacrifice to Tishtrya which enables him to overcome Apaosha, and his rains were able to flow to the parched fields and pastures unabated by drought.
$500.00 CAD
Acrylics and oil pastels on poster board (matted and framed).
23.50x19"
The original artwork size is 18.50 x 14 inches.
This painting is inspired by Zoroastrian mythology and celebrations. In Zoroastrian culture, Fire is celebrated because of its light which is the symbol of God.
$500.00 CAD
Acrylics and oil pastels on poster board (matted and framed).
23.50x19"
The original artwork size is 18.50 x 14 inches.
This piece is inspired by the story of The Miraculous Journey of Mohammed, the Islam prophet which tells of the night journey, including the ascension of Mohammad to heaven and inferno.
$400.00 CAD
Acrylics and oil pastels on poster board (matted and framed).
20x15.50"
The original artwork size is 15 x 10.50 inches.
This piece is inspired by the story of The Miraculous Journey of Mohammed, the Islam prophet which tells of the night journey, including the ascension of Mohammad to heaven and inferno.
$400.00 CAD
Acrylics and oil pastels on poster board (matted and framed).
20x15.50"
The original artwork size is 15 x 10 inches.
This piece is inspired by the story of The Miraculous Journey of Mohammed, the Islam prophet which tells of the night journey, including the ascension of Mohammad to heaven and inferno.
$150.00 CAD
Acrylics, oil pastels, and paper collage on illustration board (matted and framed).
11.50x9.50"
The original artwork size is 6.50 x 4.50 inches.
This illustration is based on an adaptation of "Layla and Majnun"; an old story of Arabic origin by the Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi, it is a popular poem praising their love story. Majnun and Layla fall in love with each other when they are young, but when they grow up Layla's father doesn't allow them to be together.
$150.00 CAD
Acrylics, oil pastels, and paper collage on illustration board (matted and framed).
11.50x9.50"
The original artwork size is 6.50 x 4.50 inches.
This illustration is based on an adaptation of "Layla and Majnun"; an old story of Arabic origin by the Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi, it is a popular poem praising their love story. Majnun and Layla fall in love with each other when they are young, but when they grow up Layla's father doesn't allow them to be together.
$150.00 CAD
Acrylics and oil pastels on illustration board (matted and framed).
11.50x9.50"
The original artwork size is 6.50 x 4.50 inches.
This illustration is based on an adaptation of "Layla and Majnun"; an old story of Arabic origin by the Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi, it is a popular poem praising their love story. Majnun and Layla fall in love with each other when they are young, but when they grow up Layla's father doesn't allow them to be together.
$150.00 CAD
Acrylics and oil pastels on illustration board (matted and framed).
11.50x9.50"
The original artwork size is 6.50 x 4.50 inches.
This illustration is based on an adaptation of "Layla and Majnun"; an old story of Arabic origin by the Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi, it is a popular poem praising their love story. Majnun and Layla fall in love with each other when they are young, but when they grow up Layla's father doesn't allow them to be together.