Rest in Code

Digital storytelling allows people to cope with loss and even engage with the departed

Digital storytelling allows people to cope with loss and even engage with the departed

With the death of M F Husain,we mourned the loss of one of the most visionary artists of our times. The death of a celebrity brings out the usual media response a shrine to the dead,a tribute to his talents,capturing responses from experts and everyday people through talks,discussions,etc. However,in the extremely short attention span that mainstream media has in the age of accelerated time,the memories fade fast and focus easily shifts to the next crisis or scandal.

Ironically,the attention,the discussions,the love and expressions around the phenomenon linger longer on the social media and other Web 2.0 spaces,which are accused of having a short term memory. As Husain leaves the headlines and editorials,he still remains in the hearts and minds of people online. Histories are dug out so that tales of the artist are brought back to life. Virtual museums and digital archives are proposed and executed to acquaint more people with his work. The politics,economics and aesthetics of his practice and life are discussed and retweeted. Status updates not only mourn his passing away,but also perpetuate public attention and love for him. There are many who create shrines online,with blogs and Facebook groups and common interest collections. The different lesser known narratives get disseminated through the Tweetosphere.

One might say that this is expected; that the death of such an artist who has touched so many lives,would indeed lead to this renewed interest and digital attention as people talk about him. However,the thing that stands out for me is not just people talking about Husain but people also,talking to Husain. This is no longer about information excavation and dissemination. This is about people using their public-private spaces online to talk to Husain the legend,the icon and the artist that he was to them. Facebook status messages say,Husain,we are going to miss you much. Tweets address him directly and say,Mr Husain,on behalf of our country,I am sorry that you had to leave this world in exile. It is as if the digital hyperspace is the land where the departed souls go to,and in this technologised world,we can talk to the people who are no longer physically with us.

And this does not stop at celebrities. This pattern of addressing the people who have gone has emerged as a way of coping for people who find solace in the World Wide Web. For people who we intimately know and are connected with through social media,we write on their walls,tag them in pictures,poke them,and engage with their avatar,even though the person behind the profile is no longer logged in. For people who have affected our lives,we produce testimonies,and stories and ways of mitigating their absence by holding conversations with them even though they can no longer reply. The ability of digital

storytelling through words,mashups,videos,sound,and remixes to help people cope with their grief or their need to connect with people who are gone,is phenomenal.

Special services that recognise this power are slowly becoming more popular among different kinds of users. After the devastating tsunami and earthquake in Japan,for instance,there were millions of people,from around the globe,who gathered on Facebook vigils,to send good energy,love and support to the people affected by them. There are other groups created for victims of social tragedies like racism,homophobia or hate crimes to ensure that they live in our memories. During the Arab Spring Revolutions,empty tweets with no content but a hash-tag that marks the date,were released in memory of people who lost their lives in the political uprisings.

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Technologies have always played a significant role in helping us cope with human loss. With social media and Web 2.0 platforms,this connection between those who have left us and those who survive the departed,have become more intimate. Recently,I discovered a website that allows you to send emails from the Other Side; give them your credentials,give them the messages to be delivered to the people you love or well,to the people you dislike and with whom you want to have the last word. Once you have kicked the bucket,your messages will be emailed to the recipients.

John Donne had once suggested that No Man is an island,entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent. This seems to be doubly true,in the world of the web. On the internet,you are never alone. Even after you are gone,there will be impressions,traces,and conversations of you that shall remain in the memories of those who are still around. And they will continue talking to you,in combinations of prayer and code.

digitalnativeexpressindia.com