René Peña was born in Havana and studied English at the University of Havana. His photographic work has been shown in Cuba and elsewhere in galleries, at art fairs, and in museums, including the Fototeca de Cuba; Foto Fest, Houston; International Art Fair, Arco, Spain; Havana Biennial; the Patricia Conde Gallery, Mexico City; and KyotoGraphie, Kyoto. His works are also held in private and public collections, including those of the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana; the Southeast Museum of Photography, Daytona; Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; the Farber Collection, Florida; the Beatrice Liaskowski Collection, Zurich; the contemporary Afro-Cuban art collection of Chris von Christierson, London; the Mattress Factory, Pittsburgh; and the Institute of Latin American Studies, Harvard University. He lives and works in Havana.