Keeping Culture in Conversation: An Analysis of Design and Visual Art in Social Media Content on Riau’s Local Culture

Abstract

Digital platforms have become one of the most influential spaces for cultural communication, shaping how local traditions are visualized, circulated, and interpreted by global audiences. This study examines how elements of visual design and fine arts are used to represent, negotiate, and sometimes transform the cultural identity of Riau one of Indonesia’s most prominent Malay cultural regions within social media environments. Using a qualitative approach that integrates visual semiotic analysis, digital ethnography, and aesthetic evaluation, the research analyses colour symbolism, ornamentation, typography, and compositional strategies found in widely shared cultural content on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. The findings reveal three major dynamics: first, designers and cultural actors selectively adapt traditional Malay visual systems such as the canonical colour palette, motifs like pucuk rebung and selembayung, and Arabic-Malay typographic forms to fit the fast- moving aesthetics of contemporary digital media; second, these adaptations increase visibility and engagement but often simplify cultural depth, creating tension between authenticity and virality; and third, viral phenomena such as the widespread circulation of Pacu Jalur videos demonstrate how local traditions can achieve global resonance while simultaneously facing risks of decontextualization. The study argues that visual design plays a decisive role in sustaining cultural continuity in algorithmic environments, positioning designers as cultural mediators whose creative choices shape public understanding of heritage. This research contributes to ongoing discussions on digital heritage, cultural sustainability, and visual communication by offering evidence-based recommendations for ethical design standards and institutional strategies to strengthen the representation of local cultures in social media.