Max Collins is a multidisciplinary artist working at the intersection of public art, photography, and mixed media. His practice interrogates the boundaries between personal narrative and collective experience, utilizing community engagement as both medium and methodology.

Collins' work emerged from his 2011 photojournalism and fine art studies at the University of Michigan, where his thesis "No More Talking" examined digital alienation through portraits illuminated by computer screens. This investigation into social disconnection established his practice of translating conceptual work into public interventions through large-scale wheat-paste installations.

From 2012-2014, Collins developed his community-focused methodology in Buffalo, NY, collaborating with the Buffalo AKG on socially engaged projects. His "Painkillers Kill" campaign created memorial murals addressing the opioid crisis, while "Press in the Flesh" explored media and labor through portraits of Buffalo News employees printed on newspaper collages.

Collins' practice deepened during his MFA in Visual Studies at the University at Buffalo (2014-2016), where personal loss redirected his work toward grief and healing. His sculptural series involved wrapping lumber in paper as a shrouding process, exploring material interconnectivity and transformation. This work was realized in "Rien ne se cree," a nest-like installation, and "Natural Processes" at the Castellani Art Museum.

In Portland (2016-2020), Collins launched Hallow Studios, expanding his practice to include memorial services and grief counseling through art. His collaboration with the Dougy Center produced workshops and installations for their annual memorial events. Collins became a licensed funeral director during this period, deepening his understanding of ritual and cultural practices around loss.

Recent projects include a 2021 Buffalo AKG residency exploring the erasure of Humboldt Parkway, leading to his ongoing collaboration with the East Side Parkway Coalition. From 2022-2024, a Creatives Rebuild New York grant supported his residency at Springville Center for the Arts, where he helped establish "The Lab" community gallery and completed "Faces of Springville," a documentary portrait series.

Collins' work is held in the Burchfield Penney Art Center's permanent collection. Based in Western New York, he continues creating art that functions as both personal expression and public dialogue, using community engagement to address themes of memory, healing, and social connection.