The Falls

Niagara Falls is a place my family frequented many times when I was growing up. As newcomers to Canada in the early 2000’s, Niagara Falls was a shining beacon at the end of our immigration journey. I’ve always been fascinated by the area, where a whimsical marriage of natural wonder coexists with man-made extravagance. From the majesty of the Falls themselves to the campy tourist traps that haven’t been updated since the 1980’s, Niagara is a place full of fascinating tensions––between prosperity and poverty, fantasy and reality, melancholy and hope.

The Niagara area brings in over 13 million tourists every year from all around the world, and has simultaneously been deemed one of the world’s worst “tourist traps'' as reported by a 2023 Toronto Star article. There is an allure to Niagara Falls despite its often gaudy and overly commercialized reputation. This series explores Niagara as a place of memory, and begs the question what is it about a place that never changes that has a hold over us, that comforts us? 

(ongoing)