Shillong, Nov 16: The English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) Shillong recently hosted an experiential exhibition titled “The People’s Archive of Media Memory,” showcasing obsolete communication technologies and inviting visitors to journey into the past.
Conceived and curated by first-semester MA students of English, Journalism and Mass Communication Department, the event transformed the university space into a living museum of media history, featuring old film cameras, tape recorders, and vintage radio sets.
The exhibition aimed to revive the voices of forgotten media, highlighting the significance of preservation and the emotional connection people have with technology. Students collected, documented, and interpreted these obsolete technologies, not just as objects, but as vessels of storytelling and recollection.
“This project reminds us that media is more than technology — it is about stories, relationships, and shared imagination,” said one of the coordinators. “Each device we restored and displayed carries traces of how people once created, communicated, and connected,” he added.
The initiative encouraged participants to consider preservation as an ethical and emotional act, engaging with the changing meanings of memorabilia in a rapidly evolving digital world.
“The People’s Archive of Media Memory” served as a practice of remembrance, breathing life into forgotten voices of old media and reminding visitors that creativity and emotions continue to shape how stories are told today.
