  Non-equilibrium thermodynamics and quantum information theory are
interrelated research fields witnessing an increasing interest, both
theoretical and experimental. This is manly due to the broadness of these
theories, which found applications in many different fields of science, ranging
from biology to the foundations of physics. Here, by employing the orbital
angular momentum of light, we propose a new platform for studying
non-equilibrium properties of high dimensional quantum systems. Specifically,
we use Laguerre-Gaussian beams to emulate the energy eigenstates of a
two-dimension quantum harmonic oscillator having angular momentum. These light
beams are subjected to a process realized by a spatial light modulator and the
corresponding work distribution is experimentally reconstructed employing a
two-point measurement scheme. The Jarzynski fluctuation relation is then
verified. We also demonstrate the operation of the system as a Maxwell's demon.
