Born in 1968 in New York, Jose Alvarez currently resides in both New York City and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He studied at the School of Visual Arts from 1992 to 1995, and in 2002 was included in the prestigious Biennial Exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. A painter, performance artist, and video artist, Alvarez incorporates unique media into his work including feathers, porcupine quills, and crystals.