Abigail Reynolds works across a wide range of media, including sculpture, collage, print and live events. Using collage techniques such as overlay and folding, she brings into focus our relation to time, making it possible to discern things that are almost completely lost. She often works in close dialogue with other disciplines; geologists, electronic music producers, palaeobiologists, librarians, brass bands. She is based in far west Cornwall, a place she often interrogates, working with ancient Cornish customs such as burning seaweed to make glass using beach sand, or beating the bounds.
Reynolds studied English Literature at St Catherine’s College Oxford University before an MA in Fine Art at Goldsmiths College, University of London. In 2016 she was awarded the BMW Art Journey prize at Art Basel to travel to lost libraries along the Silk Road. Her book Lost Libraries documenting this journey was published by Hatje Cantz in 2018. Over 2020-22 her work was featured in British Art Show 9, the landmark touring exhibition that defines new directions in contemporary art. Her work is well represented in public collections including New York Public Library, the Government Arts Collection and the Arts Council Collection. Her sculpture Anthronauts: Trilobite is now on view at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
For a full list of all Reynolds' works visit www.abigailreynoldsarchive.com
Selected Solo Exhibitions:
2025/6 Walking A Cappella. Newlyn Art Gallery and the Exchange, Cornwall
2024 Works in Glass. Roche Court New Art Centre, Salisbury
2022 Flux. Kestle Barton Gallery, Cornwall
2020 Taken in a few seconds // By the reflection of light. The Harris Museum Preston
2018 The Universal Now and Further Episodes. PEER UK London
2017 We Beat the Bounds. Tate St Ives
2016 Lost Libraries. Art Basel Miami Beach & Art Basel Hong Kong
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2024 Correspondences. Atelier Bella, Zurich
2024 Picturing Childhood: A New Perspective. Chatsworth House
2023 Unearthing: Memory, Land, Materiality. Somerset House
2021/2 British Art Show 9. Aberdeen, Wolverhampton, Manchester, Plymouth
2019 Desde el Salon. Whitechapel Gallery London
2019 Nocturnal Creatures. Whitechapel Gallery London
2019 Dream Libraries. Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Siegen, Germany
2018 Speech Acts: Reflection, Imagination, Repetition. Manchester Art Gallery
Permanent Commissions:
2026 Spring Tides. Tremenheere Sculpture Garden
2025 Anthronauts: Trilobite. Yorkshire Sculpture Park
2024 Gregorian. Hospital Rooms, Greenfields Psychiatric Unit
2021 Tre: A Window for Cornwall. Kresen Kernow, The Cornish Archive
2013 Mim. Rambert, South Bank London
Public Collections: Arts Council Collection, New York Public Library, Yale University Art Gallery, The Government Art Collection, The Harris Museum