Tributary

James Davoll; Paul Dolan; Pete Howson

doi:10.15845/jaf.v7i01.3798

Tributary

James Davoll
, Paul Dolan
, Pete Howson

School of Arts, English and Languages

Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Book/Film/Article review

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.

Original language	English
Volume	7
No.	1
Specialist publication	Journal of Anthropological Films
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.15845/jaf.v7i01.3798
Publication status	Published - 08 May 2023

Keywords

data
human infrastructures
energy
digital culture

Access to Document

10.15845/jaf.v7i01.3798Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Nordic Anthropological Film Association International Ethnographic Film Festival
Davoll, J. (Participant)
08 Oct 2025
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in Festival/Exhibition
Carbon Borders Voices
Davoll, J. (Contributor)
2022
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in Festival/Exhibition

Cite this

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AB - 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.

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KW - digital culture

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ER -

Tributary

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Activities

Nordic Anthropological Film Association International Ethnographic Film Festival

Carbon Borders Voices

Cite this