SAVE_ME (7).zip

pencil on 160g paper 186cm x 336 cm, 2025 (HKU graduation project)

SAVE_ME (7).zip is a pencil-drawn reconstruction of digital hoarding: obsessively collecting digital files. A cluttered desktop with an absurd amount of icons, vague filenames and forgotten memories became the starting point for this work. Based on Merel’s own digital environment, which consists of multiple devices, SSDs, hard drives, memory cards and triple backups, the work explores how easily valuable data disappears into a sea of unsorted information.

By drawing each file, folder, and icon by hand, she aims to slow down the fast-paced nature of digital spaces, making clutter visible and tangible. The work invites viewers to reflect on their own digital habits and the ways we try to preserve our digital memories.