David Yarrow
Catwalk
2021

About the Item

Catwalk Dinokeng, South Africa - 2021 Archival Pigment Print on 315gsm Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta Paper Each is signed, dated and numbered on the front. Edition Size: 20 Available sizes: 48 x 67 inches 67 x 96 inches All prints are on 315gsm Hahnemühle photo rag Baryta paper and varnished after processing to give both endurance and sheen. Each is signed, dated and numbered on the front. Price includes David Yarrow's custom black ash frame, white archival matting and protective UV acrylic. For unframed, $1,500 will be deducted from the price. David Yarrow has built an unrivaled reputation for capturing the beauty of the planet’s remote landscapes, cultures and endangered animals. Born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1966, he is now an internationally acclaimed fine art photographer and Europe’s best selling wildlife photographer. "In early 2015, I took a photograph in an old saloon high in the mountains of western Montana. The image of a large adult wolf walking purposefully towards my camera, whilst life in the bar continued as normal behind him, became coveted. I was flattered that the last available edition sold for $100,000 at Sotheby’s a few years later. I think the price paid was a tribute to the magnificence of the wolf as much as it was to the authenticity of the concept. There was a compositional balance to that image and whilst the barman and the customers were way out of the focal range of the camera lens, their anonymity added to the narrative and didn’t detract the eye from the wolf. Focus can deliberately exclude as well as include, and in layered images such as the Wolf of Main Street, this approach works well as it directs the viewer without losing the wider story. In retrospect, the photograph was a pivotal moment in my career and the barman that day - Thomas Rosenthal - has become a dear friend and is now part of the DY production team in America. We borrowed from the depth offered by that saloon in many sets around the world over the next few years. Whilst I am all for fresh challenges, if a concept works, I tend to go back. In 2021 my ambition was to leverage my long-term relationship with Kevin Richardson - The Lion Whisperer - to create something special in his lion sanctuary north east of Pretoria. The project was delayed by COVID as South Africa only really opened up in the autumn, but this gave the original premise time to marinate in my mind. I wanted to glorify the lion’s splendour - as did Kevin - but I also wanted to build a much wider story around the key subject. As we spitballed a few ideas around, two governing principles became clear. The first was that the lion could only be on set if I was in a cage and no one, other than Kevin, was in his domain. This is not just for safety reasons, it is also because we had to remove any conceivable distraction for Vayetse, my go to lion within Kevin’s care. The second conclusion was that we should build a set predicated on compositional mathematics before anything else. In other words, I knew my lens and camera settings before we started construction, not on the week of the shoot. There was a great deal of creative processing long before we arrived in South Africa as this was very much a picture that was going to be made, not taken. In building the story, my instincts were to play on the vibe of a Paris Catwalk - after all, we had access not just to any cat to strut down our catwalk, but the King of Africa; a magnificent adult male lion. I have been to enough fashion shows in my life to know that it’s a theatre and the attendees tend to be united in their passion and behaviour. There may be more cultural refinement in the Paris fashion shows than at a club football match, but both theatres attract collective tribes. This prompted me to indulge with the idea that we should incorporate a tribal crowd into the set - albeit a literal tribe not a metaphorical one. We were certainlyintherightpartoftheworld,theheartlandoftheZulupeople. ThelargestethnicgroupandnationinSouthAfrica,withanestimated population of 10-12 million, was within a morning’s drive of where we were shooting. My plan was to bring around 100 adult Zulus to the set - all dressed in traditional attire and armed with spears and shields. The word went out and we had no shortage of applicants. With each and every member of the cast, we discussed whether there were any cultural appropriation issues in asking them to dress traditionally. As I have found with Native Americans, they said it would be a celebration of their culture; of which they were rightly proud. To many the word “Zulu” evokes memories of Michael Cain in the 1964 British epic war film depicting the Battle of Rorke’s Drift between the British Army and the Zulus. Luckily that battle was 140 years ago and the script has changed. The Zulus on set could not have been more cooperative with this Brit and there was a carnival mood at breakfast despite many of them having been picked up at home at 2 am. It was one of the more memorable mornings of my career to be able to immerse myself in the uplifting energy of Zulu life."

Creator:
David Yarrow (1966, Scottish)
Creation Year:
2021
Dimensions:
Height: 48 in (121.92 cm)Width: 67 in (170.18 cm)Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)
Medium:
Archival Pigment
Movement & Style:
Contemporary
Period:
21st Century
Condition:
Gallery Location:
Chicago, IL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU38839554102
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David Yarrow

David Yarrow, born 1966 in Scotland, took up photography at an early age, as a 20-year-old he found himself working as a photographer for The London Times on the pitch at the World Cup Final in Mexico City. On that day, he took the sensationalized picture of Diego Maradona holding the World Cup and, as a result, was subsequently asked to cover the Olympics and numerous other high profile sporting events.

Many years later, Yarrow established himself as a fine art photographer by documenting the natural world from new perspectives and recent years have been career-defining for his mark on the world of contemporary fine art photography.

Yarrow’s evocative and immersive photography of life on earth is most distinctive and has earned him an ever-growing following among art collectors and celebrities. His distinct large monochrome images made in Los Angeles are on display in leading galleries and museums across Europe and North America. Yarrow is now recognized as one of the best-selling fine art photographers in the world and his limited edition works regularly sell at high prices at Sotheby’s and other auction houses.

In September 2019, Rizzoli published their second book by Yarrow, with a personal foreword written by global NFL star Tom Brady and thoughtful afterword written by American cultural icon and supermodel Cindy Crawford. All royalties from the book have been donated to conservation charities Tusk in the UK and WildAid in the US.

Yarrow's position in the industry has been rewarded with a wide range of advisory and ambassadorial roles. He is an ambassador for WildArk and The Kevin Richardson Foundation and is the European ambassador for Nikon. Yarrow has been integral to Nikon's most anticipated camera release of the last decade. In December 2017, he shot LVMH’s latest “Don’t Crack Under Pressure” campaign with Cara Delevingne. In January 2019, he was appointed as a global ambassador for UBS. In the spring of 2020, Yarrow was appointed a global ambassador for Best Buddies – one of America’s most established children’s charities.

Yarrow became an ambassador for the African Community and Conservation Foundation and presented his work in the Endangered Rangers virtual fundraiser. At the start of 2020, Yarrow was in Australia documenting the devastating bush fires that have destroyed communities, wildlife and wildlands. Using the striking images that he captured of the effects of the fire, he launched the #KoalaComeback Campaign to support the recovery efforts in Australia. The campaign raised over $1.4 million, and as Yarrow continues to work for humanitarian causes, his steadfast determination continues to make positive change for the benefit of global awareness. Currently, Yarrow continues to create stunning imagery with lasting global impact and archival quality that speaks to his reverence for the art of photography in capturing the wonders of the world.

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