Alberto Rey May 2026

By 1989, Rey moved to Dunkirk, New York, to teach at the State University of New York at Fredonia . It was here that he found a new "home" on the banks of local steelhead streams. The Aesthetics of Biology

While his artwork resides in over 20 museum collections—including the Brooklyn Museum and the Albright-Knox—Rey is equally respected in the angling community. In 2021, he was named the . Alberto Rey on Scene Unseen Blog alberto rey

: His large-scale oil paintings of trout—often portrayed in brilliant, specific detail—signify how species adapt to their specific habitats. By 1989, Rey moved to Dunkirk, New York,

Born in Havana, Cuba, in 1960, Rey’s journey was shaped by displacement. His family received political asylum and moved to Miami in 1965 before eventually settling in the coal-mining town of Barnesboro, Pennsylvania. This early history of migration and bicultural identity fueled his early abstract work, which grappled with "layered memories of Cuban iconography" and American life. In 2021, he was named the

: Projects like his exploration of the polluted Scajaquada Creek in Buffalo or the sacred but endangered Bagmati River in Nepal combine art, film, and environmental research to foster a sense of local ownership and responsibility. The Orvis Guide of the Year

Rey is perhaps best known for his series. This body of work marks a shift from purely personal identity to a scientific, environmental focus. He doesn't just paint landscapes; he documents the "biological interconnectedness of life in nature".

: In a poignant sub-series, Rey paints the carcasses of fish he finds on riverbanks. He views these "silent still-lives" as metaphors for his own life and the noble, if tragic, cycles of survival.