The Observer, November 2, 2007
Volume XL, Issue 9
Cuban-American artist Alberto Rey brings art to Case
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On Sunday, Case's Department of Art opened its latest exhibit, entitled Alberto Rey: Cuban-American Artist in the Art Studio. As the title states, the exhibition contains the work of Alberto Rey, who holds the title of "Distinguished Professor for Research and Creative Activity" at SUNY Fredonia. The Case exhibit contains a representative piece or two from each of the series he has worked on throughout his career. There is also a SAGES seminar on Rey's work being taught by Lynette Bosch this semester.
Rey's art is characterized by its iconographical treatment of the subjects. The subject of each piece is typically in the center of the composition, and there are often no other objects present to draw attention away from the subject. These pieces are striking in their earnestness to show the importance of their subjects. Most of the works are painted on plaster, although there are some works on paper or canvas as well.
The opening reception was centered around an informal gallery talk given by the artist about his work. While each of these pieces may be appreciated on its own for its individual beauty and technical excellence, it is helpful to see these works in a single space to better understand how they portray a cohesive narrative of Rey's career. According to his website, www.albertorey.com, "His artwork over the past 25 years has been influenced by his Cuban lineage and his attempt to find a sense of identity in a complex contemporary environment." During the talk, Rey suggested that his career is divided between two periods, separated by a visit to Cuba.
The beginning of his career is shown in the first portion of the gallery. In these earlier series, Rey focused on several main ideas. The subject of duality, reflecting his recent marriage, is approached in pieces with two similar or identical subjects. The images of his childhood are shown through objects and memories, such as "Bag of Chicharrones," a popular snack in Mexico. Rey emigrated from Cuba to Mexico at the age of three before moving to the United States, so all of his images of Cuba relied on historical photographs and artifacts. These series, reflecting his Cuban lineage, are perhaps the most iconographic series. One such series, "Las Balsas and the Balsas Artifacts," portrays the rafts and related items left behind on the beaches of the Florida Keys by Cuban refugees.
In 1998, Rey returned to Cuba, at which point he decided that his previous series were too nostalgic and that it was time to move on to other subjects, but not before he created one last tribute to Cuba. This series, of which two pieces are present in the show, is comprised of portraits of various Cuban-Americans.
The back area of the gallery shows Rey's work after his visit to Cuba. Since then, his work has focused on the environment, particularly fish and their habitats. Fishing is one of Rey's hobbies. He is currently working on a series entitled "The Aesthetics of Death," which portrays dead fish at various stages of decomposition. A piece from this latest series is also present in the exhibit.
The show is open until Nov. 18, and the hours are 12:30 to 5 p.m. The Case Art Studio is located on the corner of Murray Hill and Adelbert roads; the show is located in the Greenhouse Gallery on the second floor. There will be a symposium on Rey's work in the same gallery today from 2 to 4 p.m.
