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Davoll, James, Dolan, Paul and Howson, Pete (2023) Tributary. Journal of Anthropological Films, 7 (01). ISSN 2535-437X

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Abstract

Abstract

Tributary is an experimental ethnographic film that traces the movement and harnessing of natural resources within the Icelandic landscape to support our digital lives. Tributary explores covert, 'black-boxed' data centres (remote and highly secure sites) by tracking water and geothermal sources to the infrastructure required to power and house these physical locations of intensive computational processing. Created from a combination of traditional and experimental field recording techniques made within Iceland and the UK, Tributary aims to problematise the notion of 'green' data centres. It showcases the intensive energy requirements required to prop up the digital infrastructure of contemporary life. These include cryptocurrency mining, cloud storage, digital image production and media streaming.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: data, energy, digital culture, human infrastructures
Depositing User: James Davoll
URI: https://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/id/eprint/20344

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Uncontrolled Keywords
data, energy, digital culture, human infrastructures
Depositing User

Identifiers

Item ID
20344
Identification Number
ISSN
2535-437X

Users with ORCIDS

ORCID for James Davoll
ORCID for Paul Dolan
ORCID for Pete Howson

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Date Deposited
07 Jul 2026 13:30
Last Modified
07 Jul 2026 13:30

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