David Yarrow
Cresta
2023

About the Item

Cresta St. Moritz, Switzerland -2023 Archival Pigment Print on 315gsm Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta Paper Each is signed, dated and numbered on the front. Edition Size: 12 Available sizes: 52 x 75 inches 71 x 105 inches What makes the Cresta Club in St Moritz unique is not the racetrack, or the setting, but its members. I knew from the moment that I undertook this project, that a single photograph would fail if I didn’t convey, not just a sense of place, or the sport itself, but a sense of “Club”. The Cresta Club, officially known as the St Moritz Tobogganing Club, has been in existence since 1887 and remains one of St Moritz’s most exclusive institutions - and there are quite a few. It has a very British stamp to it and there is a sense of being at an old boys reunion at Harrow, but it welcomes all nations and all characters. For what could be a rather stuffy golf club culture, it is defined by its lack of stuffiness. It is a Club where people have fun and refuse to grow up and surely that should always be applauded. My dilemma was how to take a picture that was authentic, fun and told a story of its members. I needed the track and a rider, but I also needed the faces in the crowd. For safety reasons these subjects tend to be mutually exclusive. The solution was for me to positioned just down the track from the start and roped in like a mountaineer so that I didn’t travel down the course on my backside with my cameras. I knew already how treacherous it is as I slipped in my early morning reconnaissance and lost a tooth. The Cresta Run is 3/4s of a mile of downhill sheet ice; start falling down the tunnel and you have a long way to go until you stop. The Club was entertained by my planned position and graciously roped me in. I doubt a camera had ever had this angle before - well certainly not with a rider as glamorous as Frida Aasen on the skeleton. The members behind her were doing what they do best - enjoying the day.

Creator:
David Yarrow (1966, Scottish)
Creation Year:
2023
Dimensions:
Height: 71 in (180.34 cm)Width: 105 in (266.7 cm)Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)
Medium:
Archival Pigment
Period:
21st Century
Condition:
Gallery Location:
Chicago, IL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU388311840092
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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.

Find a collection of original David Yarrow photography on 1stDibs.