NAVIGATING DAVID YARROW, 'ON THE ROAD AGAIN' AMIDST COVID-19

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For months, friends, art lovers, and fellow artists have been yearning to see art again after an immensely unprecedented year. Looking at art, immersing in it, emerging, and soaking it in — this is primary nourishment for many in the art world, personally and professionally.  

What was the new art gallery world going to look like in 2020?  

We had had an inkling but didn’t quite navigate that until the cancellation of Art Basel, Miami which is traditionally the first week of December. With this disappointing cancellation, David Yarrow decided to visit his favorite city in America, Chicago. 

How was venturing to galleries going to be like it used to be? Like so much else now, the experience would be rudely diminished, and compromised. 

The Hilton Asmus team wanted nothing but to bring the incredible beauty of this new series to light while keeping our clients, art lovers, and staff safe. 

​Here’s how we did it; 

1. ZOOM- Oh, how we’re all so incredibly past giving up our precious life moments to this platform. However, we used the tools of this platform to bring small group chats with David Yarrow to the next level. While actively logging on from as many electronics as we could we were able to walk-through the gallery just as you would any exhibition while David himself gave commentary to his work live on screen. Collectors and art lovers around the world partook in engaging one on one with the world-renowned photographer. Many, drink in hand just as they would any of our other events.
2. Social Media- Yes, another word we’ve all grown incredibly accustomed to over the last 10 months. Our team used all platforms to follow David Yarrow during his book signing, zoom chats, interviews, and in fact went live on many to allow for live questioning from around the world. 
3. Book Signings- In person? Yes. With the utmost precaution, we allowed for by appointment book signings. Using social distancing, masks, capacity guidelines, and with quite a few elbow taps we were able to allow for what felt like some normalcy in the Hilton Asmus Gallery.
4. Virtual Gallery- Our team has developed a virtual gallery filled with prints from this extraordinary collection. Through our website, art lovers were able to walk around the gallery and take it in almost as deeply as in person.​

During this time, the opportunity for David to talk to collectors one on one was an invaluable one. We were able to hear in depth about his journey with lockdowns around the world from Devon to Iceland, and Africa. And who knew? Africa was his portal into the United States.

Even more entertaining were the stories about his time with Cindy Crawford, Cara Delevingne, Josie Canseco, and of his right hand man, Rosy. A loyal friendship built merely from the first words, ‘I have a wolf with me, Do you mind if I put it on your bar and snap some photos?”.

The world may feel different right now, and it is. We, in the art world, are very used to entering a gallery and carrying our entire world in with us, and when we see good art that sparks something in us, we carry it right back out with us where it can continue on. We look forward to seeing you all soon, we miss you. Stay safe and stay healthy!

David Yarrow on Zoom with collectors from around the world.