Digital Archives of Feelings: Rethinking cultural memory and humanistic spirit through visual design

Abstract

This article argues that as digitalisation and artificial intelligence become increasingly embedded in design practice, the preservation of cultural memory is shifting from physical spaces to digital environments structured by data and algorithms. While these technological transformations open up new possibilities for design methods and the transmission of cultural memory, they also introduce challenges: algorithm-driven rationality risks reducing the depth of human emotions and homogenising diverse cultural memories. Drawing on the theory of Archives of Feelings and visual culture studies, and adopting the concept of historical empathy proposed as a framework, this study analyses three key dimensions of cultural memory as mediated through visual design: social collective memory, marginalised group memory and human–AI collaborative memory. It further explores how visual design can negotiate between technological rationality and humanistic care, ensuring that Digital Archives of Feelings sustain diverse cultural memories while preserving emotional depth.