CASCADES OF TIME
“Cascades of Time” is a visual exploration that bridges the past and
present, documenting the transformations that both nature and human
intervention have wrought upon waterfalls across our state. In this study
I juxtapose vintage photographs, painting, and sketches with modern
digital photographs, capturing the evolution of these natural wonders
and our relationship with them over time.
Waterfalls, throughout history, have symbolized purity, resilience, and
the unyielding force of nature. However, the effects of human activity on
these majestic cascades are both awe-inspiring and, at times,
deeply concerning.
In this body of work, I have researched and photographed waterfalls all
over New York to document the changes made by civilization. Some are
still being used by industry, some have been abandoned to nature, and
some waterfalls no longer exist because electric companies have
dammed them up to feed their power generators. A select few have
been cleansed of their industrial past and turned into parks, welcoming
visitors from around the world.This study reminds us that the forces of
nature, including waterfalls, are not impervious to human activity. As
stewards of our planet, we must acknowledge the delicate harmony
between our desire for progress and our obligation to protect and preserve
these natural wonders. Humans have the extraordinary capacity to
dramatically change our natural environment. We can restore it, we can
learn to exist within it, or we can continue to abuse and neglect it. How will
our children and their children, look back at how we’ve changed the environment?
Ausable Chasm
Rainbow Falls
Table Rock
Cohoes Falls
Enfield Gorge
Lower Falls
Lucifer Falls
Middle Falls
