Photographer Pepe Soho Dies at 52

Mexico City — Mexican photographer Pepe Soho, creator of the acclaimed Mystika Museum in Tulum, died on October 10 at his home in Mexico City from cardiac arrest. He was 52.

The announcement of his death spread rapidly across social media, where fans and fellow artists paid tribute to his life’s work—a legacy of light, nature, and spiritual reflection that became deeply tied to the identity of the Riviera Maya.

Recognized for his profound vision and connection with nature, Soho used his art to transform suffering into a language of light and freedom, ensuring his works reflected a constant search for transcendence and spirituality.

Born José Askenazi Cohen, Soho lived many lives before photography became his calling. He began as a musician, performing in rock bands, later moved into fashion design, and built successful business ventures. But a devastating accident in India left him with shattered knees and a long, painful recovery.

It was during that period that Soho rediscovered photography—not as a career, but as a form of healing. Turning his lens toward nature, he developed a style that sought not spectacle, but serenity. His work captured jungles, skies, and sacred landscapes with a quiet spirituality that resonated with audiences worldwide.

An International Artistic Force

Throughout his career, Soho established himself as an international reference in artistic photography. In 2017, he won the World Cup of Photography in Yokohama, Japan, with Believe, a work that combined dreamlike landscapes with symbolic elements, bringing Mexican creativity to global stages. Similarly, his participation in Expo Dubai 2020 allowed him to showcase the beauty of his country to millions of visitors, strengthening his influence on the world art scene.

After opening his first gallery in Playa del Carmen in 2017, Soho launched his most ambitious project: the Mystika Museum in Tulum, inaugurated in 2021. The immersive space combined large-format photography, projection mapping, and sound design to create an experience that blurred the boundaries between art and meditation.

Mystika became one of Tulum’s most distinctive cultural attractions, drawing thousands of visitors seeking connection through art. Exhibits such as Sanctuary and The Awakening surrounded audiences with images of cenotes, jaguars, and star-filled skies, inviting reflection on the bond between humanity and the natural world.

Soho believed his work should not only be admired but experienced to generate a true inner connection. His pieces, full of symbolism and spirituality, invited the public to reconnect with their essence and to understand that art can serve as a path to healing.

Despite the accolades, Soho often emphasized that his work was not about fame. “Nature doesn’t need to prove anything,” he once said. “It just is. And if we can learn to see it, we can learn to be again.”

A Multifaceted Creative Vision

Beyond his artistic endeavors, Pepe Soho also had a career as an entrepreneur and creative in fields such as fashion and music, always driven by a free and avant-garde vision. His photographs, which captured the most emblematic landscapes of Mexico, are a testament to his deep love for his country and his desire to project its greatness to the world.

The artist’s passing leaves a void in Mexican culture, but also a message about the importance of love, nature, and light in artistic expression. His legacy inspires others to continue exploring art as a means for personal and social transformation.

Following his death, tributes poured in from the art world, tourism leaders, and residents of Tulum who viewed him as an adopted son of the region. Many recalled how Mystika transformed not just how people saw nature—but how they felt it.