After three editions that toured different continents and waters, dialogued with local knowledge and practices in Marrakech, Guadaloupe, and Zanzibar, the 36th Bienal de São Paulo concludes its Invocations cycle in Tokyo – meetings that precede the exhibition and promote interdisciplinary dialogues about art, culture, and society in different geographical and historical contexts. Entitled Bukimi no Tani (不気味の谷): The Uncanny Valley – The Affectivity of the Humanoid, the program takes place between April 12 and 14, 2025 and explores the complex relationship between humans and machines through sound, performance, and visual practices. The program is co-organized by the Bienal’s conceptual team with co-conveners Andrew Maerkle and Kanako Sugiyama, and Jordan A.Y. Smith as the advisor for the poetry program. The activities will take place at three different locations: The 5th Floor; Sogetsu Kaikan; and 21 KOMCEE West Lecture Hall, The University of Tokyo, Komaba Campus. 

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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. The event will address issues such as the impact of artificial intelligences on artistic creation, the performativity of machines, and the affective dimension of the relationship between humans and automated devices. It will also discuss the evolution of robotics and its relationship with Japanese culture and history, ranging from traditional Noh to advanced humanoid robots equipped with embedded learning autonomy systems, along with the concept of Zen.

Under the curatorial direction of Prof. Dr. Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung, accompanied by co-curators Alya Sebti, Anna Roberta Goetz and Thiago de Paula Souza, co-curator at large Keyna Eleison, and communication and strategy consultant Henriette Gallus, the project is part of the 36th Bienal de São Paulo – Not All Travellers Walk Roads – Of Humanity as Practice.