Abigail Raphael Collins (b. New York) is an interdisciplinary artist and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, who uses experimental documentary and video installation to think about how sound and silence shape our access to history. Collins listens from a queer perspective for what gets passed down through generations, beyond what can be spoken: the gaps, silences, and stutters in intimate and historical dialog. Recent exhibitions include REDCAT, A.I.R. Gallery, Union Docs, Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Pasadena Armory, Marathon Screenings, Torrance Art Museum, and Seoha Gallery. She received a BFA from Cooper Union and an MFA from UCLA. Collins is the recipient of an NYSCA grant, FCA grant, Toby Devan Lewis Fellowship, and UCIRA grant, as well as residencies at Seoul Art Space Geumcheon, Shandanken Projects and Soil Factory. Collins currently teaches video art at California Institute of the Arts, and curated an exhibition at LACE on silence and protest.
abigail.r.collins@gmail.com
EDUCATION
MFA University of California, Los Angeles - Interdisciplinary Studio Art 2012 - 2015
BFA Cooper Union, New York – Fine Art 2004 – 2008
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS / SCREENINGS
BLACKOUT, REDCAT solo exhibition, Los Angeles 2025
On the Passage of a Few People, CAC Gallery UC Irvine, Irvine 2024
Free Expression and the Inexpressible, A.I.R Gallery, NY 2024
Examining Masculinities, Coaxial Arts, Los Angeles 2022
Out of Play, Johnson Museum of Art, NY 2022
I Tilted Over Until It Becomes Horizon, String Room Gallery, NY 2022
To View a Plastic Flower, LAMAG, California 2020
MexiCali Biennial, Armory Center for the Arts, California 2019
Las Chicas, The Sunview Luncheonette, New York 2019
Production Values, Armory Center for the Arts, Pasadena, California 2018
Out of Play, Marathon Screenings, Los Angeles, California 2018
Hot Flat, Angels Gate Cultural Center, San Pedro, California 2017
Friction, PØST Gallery, Los Angeles, California 2017
Signaling to a Cipher, Field Projects, New York NY 2016
2017, Art Center, Los Angeles, California 2016
White Noise, PØST Gallery, Los Angeles, California 2015
Whistle Blowers, 3 Days Awake, Los Angeles, California 2014
Abigail Raphael Collins, USC Station Gallery solo exhibition, Los Angeles, CA 2013
Invisible Fortress, Project Broom, Seoul, South Korea 2012
Sociological Imagination of the City Geumcheon Art Space, Seoul, South Korea 2011
Re.Surface, SASG, Seoul, South Korea 2011
Yeosu International Art Festival, Yeosu, South Korea 2011
Restrain, Seoha Gallery solo exhibition, Seoul, South Korea 2010
RESIDENCIES/AWARDS
Foundation for Contemporary Art Emergency Grant 2025
New York State Council for the Arts Award 2023
FCA Emergency Grant 2020
Emerging Curators Program at LACE 2019
UCLA Toby Devan Lewis Fellowship 2015
UCIRA Grant: University of California Institute for Research in the Arts 2014
Resnick Scholarship, UCLA 2014
Hoyt Scholarship, UCLA 2014
Regents Scholarship, UCLA 2012
Residency: Seoul Art Space Geumcheon, Seoul, South Korea 2011
Elliot Lash Memorial Prize for Sculpture, Cooper Union 2009
PRESS
Frieze, “Abigail Raphael Collins Mines the Military-Entertainment Complex”, Elizabeth Wiet 2025
Frieze, “What to See Across the US This Summer”, Critic’s Guide 2025
University of Minnesota Press “Nothing Wanting: The Matter of Absence” KJ Cerankowski forthcoming
Hyperallergic - “Tired of Netflix? Stream Experimental Films and Video Art” 2020
Graphite Interdisciplinary Journal of the Arts - Issue 5 : Networks, June 2014
Hong Gyeong-Han. “Abigail Collins–Discussions on Spatial Perception” Public Art Magazine, September 2011
Kwon Mee-You. “Sociological Imagination at Art Space Geumcheon” The Korea Times, May 17 2011
CURATORIAL
Sound Off: Silence and Resistance, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions, 2020
Compassion Fatigue, UCLA New Wight Biennial with Damir Avdagic, 2014
SCREENINGS
Visiting filmmaker screening series, Rutgers University 2024
BLACKOUT for On the Passage colloquium, UC Irvine 2024
UNDO Spotlight, Union Docs NYC 2023
Cinematic Voices filmmaker screening series, CalArts 2022
Paul Brach Visiting Artist Lecture Series, CalArts 2021
Screening and artist talk, UC Riverside MFA program 2021
Screening and artist talk, Arts Research Cooperative, Los Angeles 2018
Out of Play, Marathon Screenings, Los Angeles 2018
The Film Ballad of Mamadama (Cassandra Guan and Lily Benson), Rotterdam International Film Festival 2014
Screening at Crossing Borders Conference: Politics, Cultural Context, the Urgency of Space, USC, Los Angeles 2013
Screening and artist talk at Seoul Art Space Geumcheon, Seoul 2012
TEACHING
California Institute of the Arts 2019-2025
Cornell University 2021-2022
Pepperdine University 2018-2021
