Untitled

© Biff Henrich, 1982, from the Collection of the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University. No reproduction without the permission of the owner.

Untitled, 1982

Biff Henrich   —  
  • American
  • 1953

  • 1987:158
  • Ektacolor chromogenic color print
  • 120 x 144 in.
  • Collection of the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University, Purchased from the Artist, 1987
Biff Henrich is a Buffalo-based photographer who pushed boundaries in technical production to create this large-scale untitled 1982 photomural. In the early 1980s printing technology was very limited, including in size. Henrich adapted by printing the photomural in strips at the widest size available and mounting them to individual Masonite sections for stability. This work is part of a photomural series created in 1982-85, featuring participants in dramatized scenes at different locations. Measuring 12 feet in width, this staged photomural shows tourists on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, distracted from the splendor of the Horseshoe Falls by candy, soda, and fast-food. The image is a metaphor for our tendency towards distraction and self-absorption. Henrich’s message continues to be ever-relevant, as our relationship with technology—always connected and always sharing—continues to influence our ability to ‘be in the moment’.