David Yarrow
The Dragon's Den
2024

About the Item

The Dragon's Den Komodo, Indonesia - 2024 Archival Pigment Print on 315gsm Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta Paper. Available Sizes: Standard 37" x 67" Unframed 52" x 82" Framed Edition of 12 Large 56" x 101" Unframed 71" x 116" Framed Edition of 12 "We knew that filming on the island of Komodo, in Eastern Indonesia, would represent a challenge and we had always found an excuse to leave it in the idea shed, rather than get down and dirty on site. There were two reasons for our concern: the first was that the island, for all its mythical and exotic allure, is easily accessible. It may look remote, and indeed it is, but every day in high season, 200 camera wielding visitors land on its beaches. There is no shortage of worthy pictures of the eponymous dragons of Komodo and I was reminded again that there are so many excellent and dedicated wildlife photographers across the world. The second concern was more material. The dragons may or may not be the most Jurassic looking members of earth’s magical animal kingdom, but they are not necessarily loved for their soul and aesthetic beauty in the same way as perhaps a rhinoceros is. We are all aware of their existence, but they don’t elicit the same degree of affection as East African wildlife. An encounter is something to tick off the bucket list rather than historically treasure. I think part of the reason for this is that the majority of the Komodos on the islands of Rinca and Komodo are not that big and can look like extremely oversized lizards. Without the size, their menace is lost, as well as their primeval magnificence. Dinosaurs were never meant to be small. So, we arrived in Komodo with one goal - to film a big guy. We knew that we couldn’t get too close and that could also work against playing on the contextual narrative or sense of place. The first impression of Komodo is its raw and untamed beauty. Spielberg could have chosen it as base camp for Jurassic Park were it not for the total lack of infrastructure. Lush craggy mountains rise vertically from the ocean floor a bit like the Tetons rise from the lakes of Wyoming and there is a sense of foreboding as if entering a villain’s lair. It is a visual feast. It was a tough gig, and the strong sun is never a photographer’s friend. In the end, we had our one moment. A large and formidable Komodo, with all its intricate textural splendour, looked head on to my camera and in the background, a nod to one of the most special places on our planet. It was The Dragon’s Den." - David Yarrow

Creator:
David Yarrow (1966, Scottish)
Creation Year:
2024
Dimensions:
Height: 52 in (132.08 cm)Width: 82 in (208.28 cm)Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)
Medium:
Archival Pigment
Movement & Style:
Contemporary
Period:
21st Century
Condition:
Gallery Location:
Chicago, IL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU388314346962
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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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