I'm pleased to share that one of the portraits from my project Mental Mapping: The Art of Exploring Connections has been selected for inclusion in the 66th Communication Arts Photography Annual, which will be published in the July/August 2025 issue.

I'm honored to share that one of the portraits from Mental Mapping: The Art of Exploring Connections has been Chosen for inclusion in the American Photography 41 online Archive, curated by AI-AP. The image was one of just 460 selected from over 7,000 submissions to receive jury recognition and will appear in The ARCHIVE.

Mental Mapping explores how internal networks, such as memory, perception, and emotion, shape the way we experience and navigate the world. This exhibition delves into the intersections of neuroscience, creativity, and visual storytelling.

Reception: April 24, 2025, 6:30-8:30 PM

Artist Talk: June 10, 2025, 6-8 PM

Location: The Somerville Armory
191 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA

Admission is free.

Joshua Sariñana presented his research project—Utilizing Large Language Models and Art to Represent Cognitive Networks—at the Harvard Psychiatry Research Day, exploring how spatial cognition influences identity across physical, social, and digital environments. Using large language models (LLMs) to analyze qualitative interviews, he examined how individuals navigate interconnected spaces, shaping their sense of belonging and adaptation.

A few images from my series Mental Mapping were selected for Point of View, the first community zine published by Photoworks SF. The zine features work from over 100 photographers and highlights a wide range of visual perspectives.

A piece from my Mental Mapping project, Jessica TranVo, was selected for inclusion in the juried exhibition {a}temporal, presented by the Cambridge Art Association at the Kathryn Schultz Gallery.

In Image of Structure, Joshua Sariñana reimagines the iconic Stata Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Stripped of its vivid colors, the architectural marvel is rendered in monochrome, transformed into a surreal, graphic space. The series was on exhibition at the Griffin Museum of Photography in 2020. Learn More»

Joshua Sariñana, a neuroscientist turned photographer, explores how memory, perception, and personal experience shape artistic expression. In his Rfotofolio interview, he reflects on how his scientific background influences his photographic process, using image-making as a means of grounding himself in reality.

Neuroscientist and photographer Joshua Sariñana’s interview in Black & White Magazine, winner of the 2019 Portfolio Contest. He discusses the intersection of cognition and visual art. His Image of Structure series dissects architectural forms as representations of thought processes, drawing from his background in memory research at MIT.

In an interview with Feature Shoot, Joshua Sariñana discusses his photographic series Surface and Consciousness, which transforms urban puddles into portals of reflection and altered perception. Drawing on his background in neuroscience, Sariñana explores the tension between the physical and psychological realms, using puddles as metaphors for consciousness and self-reflection. Read the Interview >

My photographic series Prosopagnosia was selected for inclusion in the Grand Annual Exhibition of Portraits at the Altes Pumpenhaus in Dresden, Germany, and as part of the Hellerau Photography Award. This group exhibition featured 34 international artists.

Joshua Sariñana’s architectural photography series, Image of Structure, was featured in First Look 2019, a five-person exhibition at Panopticon Gallery. Running from January 4 to March 4, 2019, the show explored how individual photographs contribute to a broader narrative when presented as a cohesive portfolio. Curated by Kat Kiernan, the exhibition emphasized the complexity and depth that comes from viewing photography as an interconnected body of work.

In a conversation with Michael Kirchoff, Joshua Sariñana discusses the intersection of neuroscience and photography, revealing how his dual background informs his creative process.

Joshua Sariñana’s Image of Structure was named a Top 200 selection in Photolucida’s Critical Mass 2018, an internationally recognized competition that highlights exceptional contemporary photography. This series, captured at the Stata Center at MIT, reimagines the architectural landscape through a lens of abstraction and emotion.

Joshua Sariñana’s architectural photography series, Image of Structure, was featured in BETA Developments in Photography, an internationally recognized online magazine known for its curated selection of contemporary photographic portfolios. The publication, originally conceived by the Ballarat International Foto Biennale (BIFB), highlights compelling photographic works with minimal text, allowing images to stand as the primary mode of artistic expression.

Joshua Sariñana’s photographic series Structure (September 2017) explores the shifting visual complexity of the Stata Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. An image from the series was selected as a winner and published in American Photography 34, a prestigious juried annual that highlights the best contemporary photography worldwide. Recognized for its dynamic composition and exploration of architectural abstraction, Image of Structure captures the interplay of light, reflection, and form within Frank Gehry’s iconic building.

Joshua Sariñana’s portrait from his series Prosopagnosia was selected for the 5th annual Analogue Portrait Project, an exhibition hosted by Smashbox Studios as part of Month of Photography Los Angeles. The show, which ran in Culver City, CA, featured 25 juried film-based portraits from both emerging and established photographers, evaluated by a panel including Ron Haviv (VII Photo Agency), Kate Kuo (Los Angeles Times), and MaryAnn Camilleri (Magenta Foundation).

In April 2018, L’Œil de la Photographie featured Joshua Sariñana’s photographic series Image of Structure as a portfolio selection. This body of work examines the intersection of architecture, perception, and abstraction through photography, capturing the geometric complexity of built environments.

Joshua Sariñana’s architectural photography series Image of Structure was featured in Silvershotz Magazine, March 2018, Volume 12, Edition 3. As a publication dedicated to showcasing conceptual and innovative photography, Silvershotz provides an international platform for artists exploring the boundaries of visual storytelling.

Dr. Joshua Sariñana’s artistic practice is deeply rooted in his background as a neuroscientist, integrating his expertise in cognition and spatial navigation with fine art photography. Always carrying a camera, he captures the everyday environments he moves through, often focusing on architectural forms like the MIT Stata Center. While commonly photographed, he challenges himself to create unique images that transcend the ordinary. Learn More