Photography as a means of constructing memories of the past and narratives of the future: an interdisciplinary analysis

Анотація

The study is aimed at explicating the photo archive as a means of memories forming in the digital age, which involves solving the following tasks: a) studying the correlations between photography, archive, and memory, b) analyzing the functional purpose of digital photography in the context of constructing memory; c) considering digital archives as a means of preserving knowledge and social expression. The digital culture of the modern era is becoming a form-limiting factor for people's interaction with each other. Constant changes in the development of digital technologies and the absorbing impact of social networks on people lead to the reconstruction of each user's own internet space. Therefore, such well-established concepts as photography and archive are undergoing significant changes. In this regard, the features of the functioning of human memory are constantly updated and rethought. Modern philosophical research, as well as scientific developments in the field of information technologies and media communications, emphasizes that there is now a transition from a fixed archive to a dynamic, mediating memory created by users using existing internet platforms and digital algorithms. Now the photo archive is becoming not only a technical means of preserving visual information, but also an interface for social interaction, emotional expression, and socio-political influence. The Digital Archive tracks social hierarchies, cultural priorities, and available algorithmic memory selection. At the same time, a digital photo becomes a variable unit, which is constantly modified depending on the need and contextual content. Photo archives mostly play the role of a means of forming narratives and collective identities. Photography, archive, and memory are interrelated categories that determine how individual and collective memory is constructed. The functionality of Digital Archives transforms the mechanisms of memory, opening up new horizons for socio-cultural analysis. Social media users participate in curating their own memory, creating dynamic and emotionally rich digital archives.