Swimming bodies in turquoise waters; perfectly geometric architecture with stark, pastel backgrounds; a series of street shots that are arresting on their own but, when viewed together, tell a story of its city. The work of photographer José Javier Serrano, better known as Yosigo, is instantly recognizable. It’s widely replicated (but never faithfully imitated) across Instagram, where he’s garnered fans and followers from all corners of the world.
It’s easy to see why Serrano’s work has resonated with so many people. His images are a result of the artist’s global explorations, capturing a unique perspective of countries both familiar and foreign, instilling in viewers a sense of wanderlust and evoking the vivid joys of travel. His latest exhibit, “Holiday Memories,” is a compilation of striking, masterfully captured moments he’s experienced on the road. After attracting over 400,000 visitors in Korea, it has arrived at Shibuya’s Tokyu Plaza, much to the anticipation of his Japan-based fans.
The exhibition opens with the sort of photos that Serrano is best known for: vivid, geometric architectural shots carefully laid out together, creating visual bridges between foreign countries. From there, it’s broken into countries, taking visitors on a world tour: the bath houses of Budapest, Mediterranean beachscapes, the amusement parks of America.
There’s also a special section devoted to Japan, with photos that are dark and dreamlike, sometimes appearing wreathed in mist. He photographs iconic symbols of the country — koi fish, izakaya, Tokyo Tower nestled among skyscrapers — but in a way that makes them feel unfamiliar, almost fantastical. It’s clear that Serrano gained a lot of inspiration from his time in Tokyo, which makes it all the more meaningful that he was able to exhibit here.
The Observational Traveler
Serrano’s moniker is apt: The Spanish phrase “Yo sigo” translates to “I follow” or “I continue,” a fitting artist name for a wandering photographer. His current exhibition centers on travel and leisure — a theme that’s been ever-present in his work, reflecting the town he was raised in. “I grew up in San Sebastian, which is quite touristic, and the first photos I ever took explored how we spend our free time,” he reflects.
But just because his photos capture leisure doesn’t mean they’re meant to be taken idly — he takes leisure travel seriously as a subject. “I don’t like to have a critical perspective about, nor romanticize, tourism,” Serrano explains. “I think I just build my own imaginary visual world through my travels and seeing others traveling.”
His nonjudgmental observation is apparent; his images are vibrant and bold, but there’s an element of watchfulness underlying the colorful visuals. When he captures humans in his photos, the subjects are unposed and unaware of the camera, and his architectural works show perfect rows of apartments with sporadic signs of life, like laundry drying in the sun.
But Serrano’s gaze is not one-sided; he sees his work as a dialogue with a specific place. “Each country ends up asking you for something,” he says. He recalls his trip to the United States, traveling coast to coast. Initially, he experimented with abstract techniques, but he soon realized that wouldn’t be the best way to express what he was perceiving. “The country brought to mind the American color photography of the 70s, something I am passionate about. The territory itself asked me for more formal photos, to be less pictorial and more realistic.”
For Serrano, this shift in perception or plans is welcomed. “When the territory changes my initial idea, I feel that I am doing something right. I’m actively feeling and reacting. That’s almost more important than the photos themselves.”
Greetings From Japan
Japan, too, asked something of Serrano. In contrast to the United States, which demanded to be documented in a stark, hyper-realistic style, Japan made the photographer feel drawn to abstraction. “Photographing Japan has influenced me a lot. I started to get interested in diffractions, blurred photos, shaky photos — different techniques that I’ve started applying to other projects.”
Yosigo’s images of this country are unlike most of his other photos. While he’s typically known for his use of bright colors, Serrano photographs Japan in darker, moodier tones than is customary for him. “Japan for me has a lot of mystery. There’s a lot of light, but an element of dark that’s indecipherable. I often feel like I’m dreaming there, not living it, and I think that shows in the photos.”
He captures the landscape differently as well: Serrano’s photography usually focuses on architecture and landscapes, and when he photographs people, it’s often from far away. Interestingly, many of his images of Japan capture individual humans.
“More than individual photos, they’re a set of photos that make up a larger image,” he answers when asked about this decision to shoot close-ups. “I usually don’t give importance to the people in the places I photograph,” but here it was different. He felt like he couldn’t capture the world of Japan without turning his camera closely to the people inhabiting it.
“Holiday Memories” will wrap up in late December, but Serrano’s adventures in Japan are far from over. “I want to spend more time in Tokyo,” he says. “I’m developing a couple of projects here, and eventually I’d love to work on a book about all this.”
Serrano’s worldview has caught the eyes and hearts of many, taking those who witness his photographs on a whimsical journey — but the whimsy belies their depth. Through his eyes, travel photography isn’t merely about careful observation; it’s about searching for the spirit of a place, and creating your own world around it.
Find Serrano on Instagram at @yosigo_yosigo.
