Digitalisation is often portrayed as the solution for an environmentally sustainable society. Although, the deeper we dig the less true that seems: As we mine the surface of the earth in order to build our digital devices, metals and plastics are released into a world-wide circulation. Once in our hands, the finished products do not only demand energy to function, but enable a wasteful digital behaviour on our part – leaving behind a trail of undisposed data.

An increasing number of files accumulate in the many data centres of the ever-expanding ‘cloud’, which already stands for more energy consumption than most countries of the world. Lastly, we part with our once so precious devices as inevitably break or become out-dated. They then transform into electronical waste and thus continue their circulation towards their final destination – most of the time is in developing countries, out of sight from their original consumers.

In DIGITAL DETRITUS, the reality of our digital designs is unpacked as we expose their full life-span – before, during and after our time with them.