“Good Memories”: A photographer's QR code project to remember those who are not

Until 2021, Alan Murúa (36) had practically not set foot in a cemetery. The only time he did, he says on a video call with Infobae, was to visit his grandparents. But since I was very young, the memories are not clear. “It was out of date,” he says.

Alan is a photographer, image restorer and lawyer who is fond of Probate. Last year, in the midst of a pandemic and with the photography business “drastically stagnating”, he combined his three passions to bring “Good Memories” to life: a virtual obituary accessed by scanning, with a cell phone, a QR code that is placed on the tombstone or niche of a loved one.

To see if his idea could be put into practice, Alan decided to take a tour of different cemeteries. He did it in the Chacarita, the largest of the porteños. He also passed through the Municipal Cemetery of Azul, the city where his girlfriend came from; and that of Saladillo, where he was born. Thanks to that fieldwork, he explains now, he was able to improve the proposal that came to light a couple of months ago.

In times when death became much more present in our lives and, after the Pandemic annihilated the funeral ritual, “Good Memories” invites us to regain connection with those who are not through technology. What is this virtual obituary? What does it take to do so? Why would anyone want to place it where a loved one rests? And why not?

In the city of Saladillo, located in the center of the province of Buenos Aires, many people recognize Alan for the events he recorded through his lens: baptisms, 15th parties, weddings, anniversaries. “Some don't even know I'm a lawyer,” Alan jokes that, despite studying law, he never stopped taking pictures. The trade, he says, was inherited from his father Daniel. Unlike him, one of his favorite tasks is the digital restoration of old photos.

“I spend hours sitting at the computer 'cleaning' streaks, wrinkles, marks, stains and perfecting images with the help of Photoshop,” he explains about the craftsmanship he does on photos, which his clients then frame and place on the tombstones of their loved ones.

Last year, while studying a distance course in “Law and Technology” at the Universidad Argentina de la Empresa (UADE), Alan conducted research that later resulted in an essay on QR codes (Quick Response Code: Quick Response Code). That, he says, was the seed of “Good Memories.”

“With the rise of digitization, today, QR codes are part of everyday urban life. We see them on bar tables, at supermarket checkouts and even in taxis. 'Why couldn't we see them on the tombstones? ' , I thought.”

How does the QR work? “Once placed, you scan it with your cell phone and access a link. This link takes you to a personalized biography of that loved one (which can be written by family members or me, based on a questionnaire), which includes photos or videos. It is a way to keep memories present and give a different meaning to the visit to the cemetery. One can be there, look at the photos, read the biography... Remember in a different way. There is also an option to leave condolences, anecdotes or stories through Facebook comments,” he explains.

The code can be engraved on three different materials: adhesive sticker ($2,800); acrylic imitation metal silver or gold ($3,500); or stainless steel ($4,200). “For tombs that are outdoors, stainless steel is ideal as it resists the wear and tear that can be caused by sun exposure and rain. Decal or acrylic works great for niches,” says Alan. The production process takes between one week and ten days and is then sent to anywhere in the country by mail.

From his visit to the different tombstones and niches, Alan also found out that cemeteries, such as the one in La Chacarita, function as a tourist attraction. “I'm not just talking about Carlos Gardel's mausoleum. There is something that is generated while walking among the graves that has to do with curiosity. It happened to me that, when reading names, dates or looking at photos, I wanted to know more about that person. That's why I think QRs would also work very well for the curious,” he says.

So far, few people know about the existence of “Good Memories”. As a sign of support, some friends and acquaintances of Alan decided to order the QR to be placed on the grave of a relative.

“In Argentine culture, the issue of death remains a taboo. We are all, in some way or another, afraid of him. But I think that over time we're going to loosen up. Therefore, the proposal for the future is that everyone should design their own autobiography”, Alan says goodbye and the (re) question is floating in the air.

“What would you like yours to say?”

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