Digital Memory and Regenerative Transformation of Cultural Heritage: Screen-Based Commemoration in the Ukrainian Context

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to conceptualise the relationship between digital memory and the regenerative transformation of Ukraine’s cultural heritage through the lens of on-screen commemoration. The study analyses the processes of digital transformation in the field of heritage management in Ukraine and identifies strategies for preserving national memory in wartime. The research methodology is based on the application of a number of interrelated approaches: philosophical-anthropological and cultural studies – to examine the impact of digital technologies on the processes of socialisation, identity formation, and the preservation of national memory; a systemic-analytical approach and the method of critical discourse analysis – to evaluate international and national strategies, UNESCO policies, and EU regulations; a comparative method – to contrast Ukrainian and international experiences in implementing innovations in heritage preservation practices; structural-functional analysis – to determine the role of artificial intelligence, 3D modeling, and information management systems (HBIM) in transforming the competencies of cultural managers. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that this article, for the first time in the field of humanities in Ukraine, presents a multidimensional conceptualisation of the phenomenon of on-screen commemoration as a fundamental mechanism for preserving Ukraine’s cultural memory amid an existential crisis (2024–2026). For the first time within a single study, an analysis of the destructive consequences of military aggression has been synthesised with innovative strategies of technological resistance (virtual museums of stolen art, mobile scanning complexes). The thesis is substantiated that the digitisation of heritage in the Ukrainian context has transformed from an archiving tool into an act of decolonisation, sociocultural resistance, and political affirmation of identity. Based on a review of the latest methodologies, the role of 3D modeling and generative artificial intelligence is explored not merely as technical tools, but as active interfaces in the reconstruction and transmission of interrupted cultural narratives. It is proposed to consider the digital competencies of cultural professionals (through the lens of the “phygital” paradigm and DigComp 2.2 standards) as a necessary condition for designing contemporary practices of remembrance. Furthermore, the concept of “regenerative digital transformation” is introduced into Ukrainian sectoral discourse for the first time, expanding the scope of memory institutions’ responsibility to the level of global ecological sustainability. Conclusions. This study substantiates the assertion that the digitalisation of Ukraine’s cultural sphere has taken on unprecedented existential significance in the context of armed conflict, becoming a key mechanism for countering the destruction and assimilation of identity. The phenomenon of the “dual threat” (physical and intangible destruction) has been systematised, and corresponding anti-crisis logistical innovations have been analysed. It has been found that the integration of generative artificial intelligence and spatial modeling shapes a new institutional reality. At the same time, critical obstacles have been identified: institutional fragmentation, financial deficits, and the need to green digital infrastructures. In summary, we note that screen-based commemoration democratises the process of preserving memory, eliminating dependence on physical presence in museum spaces and ensuring the constant accessibility of cultural experiences through digital devices. This is a manifestation of the “regenerative transformation” of memory: it does not disappear with the destruction of a physical object but continues to be fully transmitted and function in the digital space, ensuring the continuity of the national cultural code for future generations.