Special two-month-long exhibit features paintings by local artist Alberto Rey
BUFFALO, NY – The Buffalo Museum of Science (BMS) is looking inward with the presentation of a new special exhibit this fall. Lost Beauty II: The Art of Museum Stories, presented by Aleron Group (Aleron), opens October 16, 2021, and all are invited for the first time ever to experience the BMS’s collections through the eyes of an artist. BMS is proud to have Aleron as a returning sponsor.
Museums are sometimes described as the storehouses of the human condition. While museums can house artifacts and specimens from across time and place, it is how these items inspire others that truly gives them value. The same object or specimen invokes something different in each of us.
The BMS has more than 750,000 objects and artifacts in its collection – but why these items? What can they tell us? Why should they matter? And how does safeguarding these collections further our understanding of the world around us?
Lost Beauty II will showcase a selection of 15 items from the Museum’s vast collection. These small fragments inspired renowned local artist Alberto Rey, and through his paintings he asks us to look beyond the scale, label, or fragment and appreciate the lost beauty within.
Three years in the making, Lost Beauty II is the second in a series of exhibits by Rey. Lost Beauty I was on display at UB’s Anderson Gallery in 2019 and featured Rey’s The Extinct Birds Project. This second installment was scheduled to open at the BMS in summer 2020 before the exhibit was put on hold in response to changes to the Museum’s exhibit schedule due to the pandemic.
“We are thrilled to finally be able to present this beautiful and carefully curated exhibit. Lost Beauty II shines a light on the Buffalo Society of Natural Science’s (BSNS) significance as a collecting institution. Alberto Rey’s paintings help us tell the rich stories that make these items significant – stories that, without such close inspection and context, may easily go unnoticed at first glance,” says BSNS President and CEO, Marisa Wigglesworth. “This exhibit will appeal to those with interests in science, history, and world cultures just as much as it will to art enthusiasts, making it a can’t-miss attraction in Buffalo this fall.”
Each of the 15 items on display are accompanied by a large painting by Rey. One particular item – a handwoven basket from the 20th century that measures just millimeters in diameter – is brought to life in a four-foot painting. Some items have never before been on display for public viewing.
An exhibition catalog will accompany the exhibition which details the history of the Buffalo Museum of Science, the process in creating the artwork and narratives about each of the artifacts.
“I have always loved science and art and this project was a wonderful opportunity to explore and highlight a few of the tiny gems “lost” in the museum’s vast collection,” says Rey.
Entry to Lost Beauty II is included with general museum admission ($16 adults, $13 children 2-17, seniors, students, and military) and free for BMS members. Tickets may be reserved in advance online at sciencebuff.org or purchased at the door.
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ABOUT ALBERTO REY
Alberto Rey is a Distinguished Professor at State University of New York at Fredonia in the Department of Visual Arts and New Media. He is also an artist, ceramicist, videographer, writer, Orvis-endorsed fly fishing guide and the founder/director of a youth fly fishing program, Children in the Stream/4H. His artwork is the permanent collection of around 20 museum collections and has had over 200 exhibitions. He has written and illustrated three books; Complexities of Water- Bagmati River, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, The Extinct Birds Project and Lost Beauty: Icebergs. More information is available on his website, albertorey.com.
ABOUT THE BUFFALO MUSEUM OF SCIENCE
Rooted in the belief that science creates opportunities and shapes our world, the Buffalo Museum of Science is a non-profit educational institution dedicated to providing relevant science programming to learners of all ages in the Buffalo Niagara region. Through interactive science studios and exhibits designed for multi-generational learning, the Museum showcases its extensive collection of more than 750,000 specimens and artifacts representing all facets of the natural world with an emphasis on Western New York. With a focus on raising the science literacy in the Buffalo Niagara area and beyond, the Museum offers hands-on workshops, camps, panel discussions, guided tours and enhance learning opportunities for its guests and community. The Buffalo Museum of Science is governed by the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences alongside Tifft Nature Preserve in South Buffalo, a 264-acre urban wetland preserve on reclaimed former industrial land. Learn more at www.sciencebuff.org.
ABOUT ALERON GROUP
Aleron Group is a global provider of business and workforce solutions that builds relationships and empowers the workplace. An industry leader since 1957, Aleron specializes in total talent solutions, workforce management, IT services, and more. Aleron Group consists of Acara Solutions, Broadleaf Results, Lume Strategies, TalentRise, Viaduct, and other global brands.
Discover the art of work. Learn more at aleroninc.com.
