In an offbeat manner, the artist questions how communities shape their identities, yield to escapism, and model their environments. Traveling extensively in East Africa and South America, Gross takes the time to immerse himself in local communities. His photography is there to critique representations of alleged original cultures and communities while reflecting on his pernicious position as a modern Western explorer.

Gross’s work has received several accolades, including the Luma Rencontres Dummy Awards and the Foreign Fulbright Grant in 2015, the First Prize at the Swiss Photo Awards, category Fashion in 2014, the winning award at Festival International de Mode et de Photographie in 2010, the Documentary Award at Grand Prix International de Photographie de Vevey in 2006 and the First Prize at the Swiss Press Photo Awards, category Daily Life in 2006. Gross had numerous solo shows, including those at Kunstmuseum Thun (Switzerland), Les Rencontres d’Arles (France), Festival Images (Vevey, Switzerland), Musée d’art du Valais (Sion, Switzerland), Centre Culturel Suisse (Paris, France), Festival International de Mode et de Photographie (Hyères, France) and Breda Photofestival (Netherlands). Among his latest group shows are the following: Rencontres d’Arles (France), Musées cantonaux du Valais (Sion, Switzerland), Musée de l’Élysée (Lausanne, Switzerland), FOMU (Antwerp, Belgium), Fotostiftung Schweiz (Winterthur, Switzerland) and Festival International de Mode et de Photographie (Hyères, France). Yann Gross’ works are featured in several public and private collections in Switzerland, including Fotostiftung Schweiz, Fondation BNP Paribas and Musée de l’Élysée. His latest works, made in collaboration with Arguiñe Escandón, were presented at Wilde from November 2019 through January 2020.