Photographer Edward Wright is the Edge of Humanity Magazine contributor of this photo essay. From the project ‘Uncanny Valley’. To see Edward’s body of work, click on any photograph.

The term ‘uncanny valley’ was first introduced by roboticist Masahiro Mori in the 1970s. The concept refers to the unsettling feeling people experience when they encounter robots or animated characters that resemble humans, but not completely. This project utilizes networked images to create landscapes that explore the theme of Human Rights 3.0. By combining various AI technologies, an Uncanny Valley has been created in direct response to digital age rights.

Inspired by Victor Burgin’s Photopath (1967-1969), this project emphasizes concepts and ideas over traditional art objects. Visually, the project draws inspiration from a prior work titled “47 Days in Constable Country,” which consisted of digital infrared images of the Suffolk countryside during the initial Covid-19 lockdown. These images aimed to depict the isolation and clinical nature of Constable country during that period.

A network made by Dürer is trained with images from “47 Days in Constable Country,” and then prompted with scenes described by ChatGPT when discussing the idea of human rights 3.0 to create the final images.

I’m a British visual artist, born in Norfolk in 1997 and for the past six years I have lived in London. First studying for a BA at the University of Westminster, before completing a two-year MA in Photography at the Royal College of Art.

My artistic practice revolves around photography and the potential of new technologies. I am fascinated by the intricate complexities of the relationship between the individual and society,  and aim to capture these nuances in my work.  A key part of my developing practice is removing individuals from directly occupying the photographic frame, allowing the viewer to focus on the broader context, themes and memories, rather than reaching conclusions about whom they are based on initial appearance.

All images and text © Edward Wright