Examining the "uncanny valley" experienced by humans in the presence of the humanoid

This fourth and final volume in a series of educational publications in conjunction with the 36th Bienal de São Paulo centers on the Invocation held in Tokyo in April 2025, exploring the complex relationship between humans and machines through sound, performance and visual practices. Inspired by the concept of the "uncanny valley" proposed by Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori in 1970, the Tokyo Invocation reflects on the ambiguities of the human in the face of technology and the issues that emerge at the intersection between art, artificial intelligence and corporeality. This book addresses issues such as the impact of artificial intelligence on artistic creation, the performativity of machines and the affective dimension of the relationship between humans and automated devices.

This book was published in conjunction with Fundação Bienal de São Paulo.