Janna Ahrndt, Assistant Professor of Art, with collaborator Assistant Professor Christine Bruening of LSU, presented a paper at the 30th International Symposium on Electronic Art in Seoul, South Korea (May 23-29, 2025).
TITLE: Digital Sentiments: Transforming Loss and Memory
Abstract:
This paper examines the emotional and cultural impact of digital heirlooms in an era of platform-dominated internet ownership, particularly in the context of loss and mourning. Focusing on digitalized familial artifacts and digital ephemera, we explore how these heirlooms mediate shifts in familial connections and memory-keeping practices after a loved one’s passing. This research informs a series of community workshops (developed in collaboration between Christine Bruening, Louisiana State University, and Janna Ahrndt, University of Southern Maine) addressing digital preservation, curation as a form of creation, and the limitations of current data ownership models. We critique the monopolistic control of data and consider the future of mourning cultures and familial digital archiving.
About the organization: The series of ISEA symposia is coordinated by ISEA International. Founded in the Netherlands in 1990, ISEA International (formerly Inter-Society for the Electronic Arts) is an international non-profit organization fostering interdisciplinary academic discourse and exchange among culturally diverse organizations and individuals working with art, science, and technology. ISEA International Headquarters is supported by the University for the Creative Arts (UK).