Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

The Spectacularization of Cultural Heritage in the Digital Age: From Cultural Landscapes to Digital Consumption

Siyu Chen*
Hong Kong Lingnan Unversity

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

With the development of digital media, the form of expression, dissemination and perception of cultural heritage has been changing. This paper studies the role of digital platforms in the spectacularisation of cultural heritage and how this phenomenon has changed contemporary cultural consumption. Based on Guy Debord's theory of the Society of the Spectacle, the four links in the process of spectacularisation are selected for this paper: selection, visualisation, circulation and consumption. Through the presentation of examples of heritage sites, traditional cultural practices and user-generated cultural content, this study explores how heritage is being transformed into visually appealing and shareable digital forms. Research shows that the function of digital media in preserving and transmitting culture is also to create visual and symbolic cultural spaces. This change increases public awareness and fosters new ways of cultural participation, as well as the consumption of heritage in the form of experiences, symbols and identity. At the same time, there is a conflict between cultural visibility and cultural depth; a visually attractive presentation may reduce the complexity of the historical and cultural background. Therefore, in learning about digital heritage, we need to pay attention not only to preservation and access but also to changes in representation, spectacle, and cultural consumption.

Keywords: cultural heritage; digital media; spectacularization; cultural landscape; cultural consumption
Published: October 20, 2026
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2026.BA37756
Volume: CHR Vol.123
pp. 68-73
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