Golden Diptychs and Triptychs for Aspen Interiors: The Stories Behind Zack Zublena’s Art

In Aspen, art enters a conversation already shaped by the mountains. A photograph might hang beside a window overlooking the landscape, above a stone fireplace, or within a room where timber, contemporary furniture and a personal collection meet. From the historic homes of the West End to contemporary residences on Red Mountain and retreats near Aspen Mountain, choosing art can bring another kind of presence into the interior.

I am Zack Zublena, and since 2016, I have photographed people painted in gold, exploring the relationship between light, movement and the human form. My golden diptychs and triptychs carry stories of encounters, experimentation and photographs that sometimes waited years to find their companions.

Aspen offers a meaningful cultural setting for that work. The Aspen Art Museum’s building, designed by Shigeru Ban, makes architecture part of the experience of contemporary art. At the Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies, Bayer’s work connects photography, fine art, graphic design and architecture through his Bauhaus background.

Nearby, in Snowmass Village, Anderson Ranch Arts Center’s Photography and New Media Studio provides a setting for photographic exploration and artistic practice. Together, these institutions offer different ways to think about images: how they are created, how they are experienced, and how they relate to their surroundings.

For me, a diptych or triptych begins with the relationship between the photographs themselves. Sometimes I spend years before creating the image that belongs beside another. I want their connection to elevate the energy of the work. Their emotional resonance comes first; their arrangement on a wall follows.

Here are the stories behind these compositions, followed by ideas for choosing fine art photography for Aspen homes, hotels, mountain retreats and wellness interiors.

Two Beginnings: Kruger National Park and My First Golden Portrait

This diptych brings together two beginnings in my life as a photographer. The wildlife photographs were taken in Kruger National Park in 2012, where my relationship with photography truly began. The woman belongs to another defining moment: she was the very first person I photographed painted in gold, in 2016.

By bringing those worlds together, I wanted to express the animal presence within each of us. Her femininity carries warmth, sensuality and instinct, alongside elegance and composure. The feline imagery reveals something untamed beneath that graceful presence.

I feel a strong attachment to this work because it connects my discovery of photography with the beginning of the golden portraits.

For an Aspen residence, I would consider this diptych in a living room or private study where its relationship between the human figure and the natural world can unfold slowly. It brings its own story into a mountain setting without needing to depict the surrounding landscape.

Golden Dreamscape: A Singer, Roses and a Single Exposure

This triptych was photographed at the end of a session with an Italian singer. She was seated on a chair in my living room, while I stood outside in the garden with the French doors open.

With an assistant and a system of mirrors and reflections, I captured her together with the rose bushes behind me within the same exposure. Each image is a single photograph. The person and the garden were not photographed separately and then superimposed.

I deliberately wanted the photographs to be blurred. Capturing the figure, the reflection and the flowers in that way became an absorbing technical challenge. The result suggests that she is sitting among the roses, although she remained indoors.

I love the atmosphere: dreamy, romantic and gently elusive. The softness allows the human form to remain suggested, leaving space for imagination.

For a quiet bedroom in Aspen or a private suite in a mountain retreat, I would consider this triptych for its intimacy. Its softness can offer a gentle counterpoint to the more defined lines of stone, timber and architecture.

A Seated Diptych Especially Dear to My Heart

This diptych is especially dear to my heart. I loved the woman’s femininity, her grace and the natural elegance of her seated pose. Later, I asked a male model to create a similar position so that I could bring the photographs together.

I wanted to marry those gestures while preserving the individuality of each person. Their positions share a visual language, yet their presence and sensitivity remain distinct.

The relationship between them feels quiet and intimate to me. For a bedroom in the West End or a private lounge in an Aspen home, I would choose a place where the viewer has time to notice that connection.

The Divine Feminine and the Divine Masculine

The photograph of the woman in this diptych is an award-winning work. I love the flowing silhouette and generous curves that give her such warmth and confidence.

I later created a masculine companion. Together, the photographs express what I see as the divine feminine and the divine masculine: different presences brought into a shared relationship.

They could have been arranged back to back. Instead, I chose to have them face one another. That orientation introduces recognition, attraction and an exchange between the figures.

For an Aspen home or hospitality interior, I would preserve that relationship when installing the diptych. Their conversation is part of the meaning of the work.

Golden Lips and Flowers: Warmth for a Wellness Interior

The flowers in this pairing were photographed in my backyard. The lips came from a spontaneous moment during another session: while the model’s partner was having his makeup done, I began photographing her more closely.

I was drawn to the sensuality of her gold-painted lips. Later, combining those close-ups with the flowers created a feeling of freshness, intimacy and spring energy.

This pairing was selected for a David Lloyd spa. That connection matters to me because the photographs carry a warmth and softness that can belong naturally in a space devoted to wellbeing. You can explore the wider collaboration in the story of my artwork across more than 120 David Lloyd clubs.

For a spa in Aspen or Snowmass Village, I would consider this diptych where its atmosphere can contribute to the experience of slowing down. The combination of botanical detail and human presence offers a different kind of connection to nature within a mountain interior.

A Fire Dancer in the Desert’s Last Light

The woman in this triptych is a professional fire dancer who also teaches her discipline. I wanted to photograph her painted in gold, so we went into the desert and worked as the sun was setting.

With the fire lit, the session brought together movement, flames, the gold on her skin and the last light of the day. The experience had an extraordinary intensity. Each photograph captures a different moment within it.

Across three panels, her movement continues along the wall. For an Aspen dining room or a mountain hotel lounge, I would consider this triptych where the complete composition can be appreciated from a comfortable distance.

Its story belongs to the desert. In an alpine interior, that different landscape can introduce warmth, movement and another memory of the natural world.

Two Women, Five Years Apart, One Triptych

This is one of my favorite triptychs. The photographs portray two different women and were taken five years apart, although their relationship can feel immediate when you see them together.

I am deeply connected to these images. Their gestures, the pale backgrounds and the quality of light allow them to share an atmosphere across the years.

This is why I return to my archive. A photograph may wait until a later encounter reveals the image that can deepen its presence.

For a contemporary Aspen home, I would give this triptych a calm wall where its rhythm can emerge. Pale surroundings, warm timber or a restrained arrangement of furniture could each offer a different setting for the figures.

Hands in Prayer: Creating a Companion Photograph

The photograph of the man came first. I loved the position of his hands and the feeling it carried. I later wanted to create a feminine companion so that the two images could become a diptych.

I asked the woman to echo his position. The gesture connects them, while their individual presence gives each photograph its own meaning.

I love the result: two people brought together through stillness. For a meditation room, a yoga studio or a quiet treatment space in Aspen, this pairing could offer a gentle human focal point.

A Star at the Center: An Unforgettable Los Angeles Session

These photographs were taken on the same day in Downtown Los Angeles. The two women had never met before. One was a contortionist and the other a yoga teacher, and they did the makeup that day.

The session became a meeting of different physical abilities and creative instincts. Their openness allowed us to explore positions and create photographs that work beautifully together.

I find the star-like shape at the center especially powerful. It anchors the triptych while the neighboring images extend its movement.

For an Aspen yoga studio or a private exercise space, I would consider this work where the physical intelligence behind the poses can be appreciated alongside their beauty.

The Architecture of Strength, Photographed in My Backyard

These close-ups were photographed in my backyard. I wanted to explore the architecture of a strong body: the muscles, their contours and the way gold responds to light.

The photographs feel powerful and sensual to me. Their sculptural quality comes from a living person, and I want that warmth to remain present within the image.

In an Aspen home with a private fitness room or a dedicated space for recovery and movement, this triptych could offer a strong focal point. Its attention to the body can speak to discipline while retaining an intimate human presence.

Balance and Elevation with One of My Favorite Yogis

This yogi is one of my favorite subjects to photograph. I am drawn to his control, concentration and the expressive possibilities of the positions he creates.

In this triptych, the central photograph lifts the legs upward. The images on either side give that movement balance and a wider rhythm.

Together, I find them a powerful symbol of elevation and focused energy. For a wellness interior in Aspen or Snowmass Village, I would choose a position where all three photographs can be experienced as a complete work.

Two Women in Movement, and the Lenses I Forgot

There is an unexpected delay behind these photographs. The women were ready to shoot when I realized that I had forgotten my lenses.

They waited while I went into Downtown Los Angeles to rent replacements. I returned with sophisticated Zeiss lenses, but I had to work with manual focus.

As the women moved, I sometimes repeated a photograph five times to make sure I obtained a sharp frame. Everyone’s patience became part of the process.

I love remembering that effort when I look at the finished images. What appears effortless can contain a story of trust, concentration and adaptation.

Aspen’s performing arts culture offers another way to appreciate the work behind a graceful result. The Aspen Music Festival and School brings musical performance and training together. That relationship between practice and expression resonates with the patience involved in photographing people in movement.

A Face Unseen, a Presence Open to Interpretation

The yogi’s face remains unseen in these photographs. I find that openness compelling: the viewer can connect with his posture without being guided by a facial expression.

I love the kneeling positions and their quiet strength. They carry a feeling of grounding, attention and stillness.

For a private meditation room in Aspen or a peaceful guest suite in a mountain retreat, this triptych could offer a presence that leaves room for your own interpretation.

Butterflies and Color: A Composition Filled with Joy

Creating these images took considerable work with the butterflies, the colors and the overall composition. I wanted something buoyant, joyful and full of life.

The figure brings grace and sensuality, while the colors create a more playful atmosphere. I love the combination of an elegant human presence and an imaginative surrounding world.

For an Aspen interior with a restrained material palette, this diptych could introduce a more expressive note. I would consider it for a bedroom or personal sitting room where its color and sense of lightness feel welcome throughout the seasons.

Invictus: A Real Fighter with Her Own Sword

The woman in these photographs is a real fighter. She wrestles and also fights with swords. When she arrived at the studio carrying her own sword, I was immediately interested in the possibilities of the session.

Her dreadlocks had just been done at the hairdresser, and we then painted her in gold. The confidence you see comes from her experience and the way she inhabits her body.

That authenticity gives the diptych its strength. For a contemporary home on Red Mountain or a private study in Aspen, I would consider it where both images can establish their presence together.

Presence and Absence: Gold Against Black

This pairing explores a similar position with the head visible in one photograph and absent from view in the other. I love how a simple change can make a composition feel intriguing and open to interpretation.

Against black, the gold becomes especially striking. The work feels contemporary and restrained, with very little to distract from the gesture.

For an Aspen interior shaped by clean architectural lines, I would give this diptych a clear wall and lighting that preserves the depth of the black background. Its simplicity also allows it to enter a dialogue with more textured materials and an existing collection.

Choosing Fine Art Photography for Aspen Homes, Hotels and Wellness Spaces

A personal story can help you understand your connection to an artwork. Choosing where it belongs requires attention to the room itself: its purpose, proportions, materials, light and existing collection.

For a local perspective on exhibitions, performances and cultural conversations, explore Aspen Public Radio’s arts and culture coverage, which follows the wider Roaring Fork Valley.

The West End: Let Contemporary Photography Join a Home’s History

The Aspen Historical Society’s West End neighborhood tour explores the history of this residential area. For an interior with historic details, contemporary photography can introduce another chapter in the life of the home.

Consider a wall where the diptych or triptych can be read clearly alongside the room’s existing objects. The seated figures or Golden Dreamscape could offer a more intimate starting point.

Red Mountain: Balance the Artwork with the View

Where a room has expansive mountain views, consider how the artwork is experienced from the main seating position. A window and a photograph can each hold attention when their placement gives them enough space.

For a larger wall, assess the full width of the triptych and the distance from which it will usually be seen. Choose the composition for its presence in the room as well as its dimensions.

Downtown Aspen and Aspen Mountain: Think About the Guest Experience

For a hotel lounge, reception area or suite, consider how the imagery relates to the property’s identity and the people who will encounter it.

A private suite allows a different relationship with figurative photography than a public lobby. Select the subject, scale and placement according to the experience of each room.

Snowmass Village: Connect Art with Rest and Movement

For a mountain residence, yoga studio or wellness space in Snowmass Village, the prayer diptych, kneeling yogi and movement triptychs offer different ways to approach the human body.

Begin with the feeling you want the space to hold. Some compositions encourage stillness; others bring concentration, rhythm or physical strength.

Mountain Interiors: Look Closely at Materials and Light

Timber, stone, plaster and textiles each provide a different setting for a photograph. Evaluate the actual wall and the surrounding materials rather than assuming that gold will look the same in every room.

Observe daylight and reflections at different times of day. Discuss suitable glazing and protection with a professional framer, particularly where photographs may receive direct sunlight.

If considering placement near a fireplace or heating outlet, assess the conditions with your installer or framer before hanging the work.

Keep the Relationship Between the Panels Intact

Measure the complete arrangement, including the spaces between panels. Consistent spacing and alignment help the photographs read as a connected work.

Orientation can carry meaning. In the divine feminine and masculine diptych, the figures face one another by intention. That exchange should remain part of the installation.

For further guidance, read my article on choosing and displaying fine art diptychs and triptychs.

A Personal Place for Zack Zublena’s Art in Aspen

These photographs began with people, places and moments that matter to me. Some emerged from careful preparation. Others came from a spontaneous detail, an unexpected reflection or a photograph that found its companion years later.

Bringing them together allows those experiences to continue speaking to one another. Their energy comes from that connection, and from the people whose presence made the photographs possible.

Whether you are choosing art for a West End home, a Red Mountain residence, a downtown Aspen hotel or a wellness retreat in Snowmass Village, begin with the images that move you. Then consider how their presence can become part of the life of that space.

Explore Zack Zublena’s golden diptychs and triptychs →

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