Born in 1957 in Havana, Cuba. Lives and works in Havana, Cuba.

René Peña studied English at the Instituto Superior Pedagogico de Lenguas Extranjeras, Universidad de La Habana, Cuba. He learned photography autodidactically. Peña’s work focuses on the duality between the human pennilessness to escape institutionalization and the human desire for individuality. His photographs highlight the contrasts between black and white, motif and background, subject and object.

“My work is about the relationship between individuals and a particular social group. The individual always tries to have his own identity, although he cannot escape from the social groups and society. We all have our personal institutions, whether family, religion or sport, they all bring their own ideologies with them. We cannot escape them. We are all institutionalised. Yet we think we are individuals. This duality is what motivates my work.” – René Peña

Peña’s works are represented in international collections such as the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, Cuba; Fototeca de Cuba, Havana, Cuba; Reinhard Schultz Collection, Germany; Archivo Fotográfico Toscano, Italy; Southeast Museum of Photography Daytona, USA; Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, USA.