ENTROPIA – On the signs of irreversibility

Curated by Simone Neuenschwander

This group exhibition explores the concept of entropy, a term derived from Greek that means, among other things, “transformation.”

Entropy is a term used in various contexts, including thermodynamics. In general, it signifies a measure of disorder that can increase within a system. Entropy is an irreversible process that moves toward gradual equilibrium. An illustrative example is the blending of two colors, so that the original colors can no longer return to their original state. Entropy can also be found in nature, where processes such as weathering, erosion, and ecological shifts drive decay and transformation.

American artist Robert Smithson (1938–1973) was particularly interested in entropy as a measure of irreversibility. He applied this concept to economic processes, viewing entropy as a natural process that economic progress accelerates through the exploitation of natural resources, contributing to the Earth’s destruction. With the earthworks he created in outdoor spaces during the early 1970s, for example, Smithson sought to artistically depict entropic processes using natural materials (stones, earth, wood). He perceived these processes as driven by humans, who constantly transform nature through radical interventions.

The artists featured in the group exhibition Entropia address human intervention in nature and its irreversible consequences. They depict entropic processes of transformation and destruction, the entanglement of humans in cycles of consumption and waste, altered landscapes, and material transformations. Through their art, they remind us that nature’s resources are finite and can disappear irrevocably due to human activity.

With the kind support of Swisslos-Fonds Basel-Stadt and Ernst Göhner Foundation.