Julie Mehretu (b. 1970) Entropia (construction), 2005 Lithograph with Gampi chine colle on Somerset Satin 40 × 49 3/4 in. The Studio Museum in Harlem; gift of the artist 2006.25
The Greek word entropia is the root for “entropy,” a thermodynamic concept that purports that everything in the universe shifts from a state of order to one of disorder. Entropy, therefore, is a measure of change and, by extension, a measure of disorder. In Entropia (construction), Julie Mehretu builds on previous works by layering four complex drawings. By pulling apart and restructuring her ideas, she reveals a deep understanding of printmaking and her mastery of repetition, pattern, and spatial relations to create an extraordinary labyrinth of activity.
Artist in Residence 2000-01