Leila Heller Gallery New York proudly presents the solo show of New York-based artist Diane Tuft, “Entropy” opening January 17th. Since 1998, mixed-media artist Diane Tuft has embarked on global journeys to capture the transformative impact of environmental forces on Earth’s landscape.

Her photographs document both the expansive beauty of our planet and the dire situation that it continues to face if we do not provide a sustainable environment for its future. Tuft’s “Entropy” series captures nature's sublime and awe-inspiring beauty as it is radically transformed under the unrelenting pressures of climate change. Focusing on water as her subject, Tuft contrasts global sea-level rise with water depletion in Utah’s Great Salt Lake.

In her new book “Entropy”, Tuft says:

Throughout my years of documenting the effects of climate change on our Earth, I have come to appreciate the immense influence that water holds over its destiny. Water, in all its manifestations, offers an exquisite palette to paint my images. Each depiction illustrates the harmonious interplay of shapes and colors, birthing entirely novel compositions that transform with the shifting light. Each photograph intricately weaves its tale of climate change.

The word entropy aptly characterizes climate change’s effect on the molecular structure of water. As ice melts, molecules gain energy, spread farther apart, lose their crystalline structure, and arrive at the next state, liquid. As water further transforms into its gaseous state, this disarray magnifies. The second law of thermodynamics states that entropy always increases with time. Water is its thermodynamic system, affecting all that it touches. Given the unpredictability of climate change, we are seeing the unpredictability of its effects on water unfold in real-time.

Water, whether in the form of ice, liquid, or gas, serves as a crucial barometer for measuring the impact of climate change on the planet. We see the effects everywhere as symptoms of the planet’s future: rising sea levels, increasing hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis, flooding, soil erosion, fires, droughts, and record-breaking heat waves. Our world is undeniably in flux, and water lies at the heart of this transformation.

Diane Tuft exhibits and lectures at institutions across the globe. Her work is included in such esteemed collections as the Whitney Museum of American Art; Nevada Museum of Art; International Center of Photography; and Parrish Art Museum, as well as many private collections. Tuft’s previous publications include Unseen: Beyond the Visible Spectrum (2009); Gondwana: Images of an Ancient Land (2014) and The Arctic Melt: Images of a Disappearing Landscape (2017). Tuft is also an award-winning director and producer of multiple short films, including Coastal Requiem (2019). She lives and works in New York City.