Introduction

Reality no longer has the value that was once attributed to it. At the very least, it has become more difficult to capture. AI and advanced automations have blurred the lines between reality and representation, challenging the idea that photographs are inherently truthful. When Susan Sontag wrote "On Photography", the era of affordable, viable equipment had only just begun, and so she claimed: “Photographed images do not seem to be statements about the world so much as pieces of it, miniatures of reality that anyone can make or acquire”. At an earlier crucial moment, when photography was recognised as an art in its own right, Alfred Stieglitz remarked: “In photography, there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality”. Nowadays, these quotes sound like a strange echo from a distant past. What has happened?

With the advent of AI-generated photorealistic images in easily accessible online platforms, synthetic imaging suddenly is widely discussed. This phenomenon not only captivates the public’s imagination but also obscures a quieter revolution that has been reshaping image-making in the digital domain for decades. The concept of “the decisive moment” has been taken out of the photographer’s hands, as various automated mechanisms embedded within both the imaging apparatus and the editing pipeline challenge traditional notions of authorship. This reassessment and re-evaluation of the established understanding of photography demands for a precise and nuanced description for images that are not produced through conventional optical means. The term synthography encapsulates the essence of these artificially generated, photorealistic images, reflecting the diverse methodologies employed in their creation.

This symposium aims to serve as a dynamic platform for exploring the potential and implications of synthetically generated images across art, design, and education.

Programmes

FRIDAY, MARCH 7

2 pm - 6 pm
Session 1: OPTICAL ILLUSIONS
Venue: M6050, L6, CMC

6 pm - 7 pm
Exhibition Opening
Venue: Singing Waves Gallery (M3301), L3, CMC

7 pm
Screening: Double Happiness, with introduction by Ella Raidel
Venue: Future Cinema Studio (M6094), L6, CMC

SATURDAY, MARCH 8

10 am - 1 pm
Session 2: CALCULATED SIMULATIONS
Venue: M6050, L6, CMC

2:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Session 3: THE AGE OF POST TRUTH
Venue: M6050, L6, CMC

Details: https://www.cityu.edu.hk/scm/imagine/programme/

Registration

Registration is required 2 days in advance. There is no online registration service on Saturday.

https://forms.gle/1k28KrrJp3Fk2D6n6