‘Daredevils’ Confront Niagara Falls’ Roaring Waters Yet Again In New Exhibition

Over a century ago, daredevil Bobby Leach hopped inside a fully riveted, 1/2-inch steel barrel for his trip over Niagara Falls in 1911.

Today, after a forklift successfully situated the device at the nearby Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University, the barrel joins a number of artifacts from the famed falls’ history that are part of a recognition of iconic feats.

“Daredevils of Niagara Falls: The Spectacle of Triumph and Tragedy” — an exhibition opening Wednesday at Castellani — reexamines daredevils’ acts that are ingrained in the famed falls’ history, from enduring barrel trips down the natural wonder to tightrope walks over the waters below.

Visitors can explore a dynamic range of objects, such as the rubber ball Joseph Albert “Jean” Lussier used to go over the falls in 1928, a piece of rope from one of acrobat Charles Blondin’s walks over the Niagara Gorge, and a vintage photo display that tourists used to look as if they were going “over the falls in a barrel.”

It’s unlike your traditional art exhibition, according to Michael J. Beam, Castellani’s curator of exhibitions and special projects.

“They’re all, in a way, performance artists. But instead of performing by painting your body or doing performance dance or making something, they’re literally risking their life for their art,” said Beam, who added that the daredevils deserve “respect” for their work.

Beam said the exhibition “really embodies” the spirit of Phineas T. Barnum, known for his circus as well as his New York City museum of curiosities.

“The idea of daredevils is real exciting; it’s glorious, but there’s a dark side to it, too, so I tried to incorporate some of the darker aspects that people don’t always think of,” he said.

One such artifact is the