Joshua Sariñana’s article in MIT Technology Review analyzes the work of filmmaker Suneil Sanzgiri, whose art addresses themes of historical trauma, memory, and colonization. Sariñana explores how Sanzgiri leverages both digital tools, like 3D scanning and physical manipulation of 16mm film to examine the geopolitics of his ancestral home in Goa, India, and the lasting impact of colonial histories.

In his presentation at the Museum of Science’s Youth Internship Program, Joshua Sariñana presents Exploring Connections, discussing how neuroscience, artificial intelligence (AI), and art interact, focusing on the hidden networks that shape our internal and external worlds. He highlights the parallels between brain function and AI and the roles of motivation and experience in shaping our cognition and behavior. Explored are how art and AI can reveal hidden patterns and challenge conventional perceptions.

Joshua Sariñana, PhD ’11, combines his neuroscience background with art and storytelling to foster public engagement with science and elevate underrepresented voices. As highlighted in his MIT News alumni profile, Sariñana’s work focuses on creating connections between science and the public through interdisciplinary projects.

From December 6, 2021, to February 28, 2022, The Poetry of Science was exhibited at MIT’s Rotch Gallery, presenting a dynamic blend of poetry and photography that highlights the experiences and contributions of scientists of color. Directed by Joshua Sariñana, PhD, this multimedia project merges art and science to challenge traditional narratives and foster positive associations between communities of color and the sciences. Each work pairs portraits of scientists, visually embedded into natural landscapes, with poetry that explores their research, motivations, and lives.

Joshua Sariñana, PhD ’11, merges his expertise in neuroscience, photography, and storytelling in The Poetry of Science, a public art installation advocating for racial and social justice. Supported by a Cambridge Arts Council Art for Racial Justice Grant, this multimedia project pairs scientists of color with poets of color to create collaborative works that celebrate their contributions and amplify their voices. Through portraits by Vanessa Leroy and poetry inspired by the scientists’ work, the project fosters a deeper understanding of science and promotes positive associations with communities of color.

In response to systemic racism and the lack of representation of people of color (POC) in media and art, Joshua Sariñana, PhD, co-created The Poetry of Science with poet and editor Linsey Jayne. This multidisciplinary project combines poetry and photography to amplify the voices and experiences of POC, countering negative stereotypes with positive representations. Read the Article»

Joshua Sariñana, PhD, and Linsey Jayne, debuted their project, The Poetry of Science, at Lit Crawl Boston 2021. This initiative pairs local poets of color with scientists of color to address racial disparities in both fields while showcasing the profound connections between the sciences and the humanities. Poets collaborated with scientists in fields like quantum mechanics, radiology, and social robotics to craft original poetry inspired by their research, motivations, and personal stories. At the event, each poet presented one poem as a demonstration of their partnership and the creative synergies between poetry and science. Read the Interview >

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.

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.

Joshua Sariñana’s Image of Structure was selected for the prestigious Latin American Fotografía awards, a juried competition celebrating outstanding photography and illustration from or focused on Latin America. The awarded photograph was exhibited at Photoville in Brooklyn from September 20–24, 2018, as part of an international showcase of visual storytelling.

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 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.

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.

Joshua Sariñana’s architectural photography series, Image of Structure, was featured in Float Magazine. Known for highlighting contemporary photography across all genres, Float provides a dynamic platform for both emerging and established artists.

Image of Structure explores the relationship between architecture and cognition, using high-contrast black-and-white compositions to examine how spatial environments influence perception and memory. Drawing from his background in neuroscience, Sariñana’s series presents architectural forms as visual metaphors for the structured yet fluid nature of thought.

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

I always have at least one camera with me at all times, and now that I have a toddler most of my images are made between work and home. Because I work across the street from the Stata Center — which contains the Computer Science and Artificial Laboratory (CSAIL) and Department of Linguistics and Philosophy, among other things — I come across the building several times a day.