The boar in the flower shop – exploring Synthography as a New Genre Beyond Photography

The paper seeks to explore and critically analyse the emergent genre of digital image creation proposed as ‘Synthography’. Drawing upon previous foundational texts by the author, this paper aims to delve into the theoretical implications and practical applications of Synthography. The text discusses the new possibilities in visual arts driven by the advancements in digital tools and artificial intelligence, which redefines the traditional concepts of photography. It explores the process of 3D modelling and its role in product photography as well as the concept of the ‘uncanny valley’ by using the example of a synthetic recreation of a wild boar through Synthography. This theory, which refers to the discomfort experienced when a representation is very close but not entirely identical to the real thing, has significant implications for this new genre. The interplay between the ‘real’ and the ‘synthetic’ in Synthography often walks this fine line, leading to innovative, yet sometimes unsettling, visual experiences.