In its Summer 2026 issue, the prestigious British publication Watkins Mind Body Spirit interviewed French-American artist and photographer Zack Zublena about the symbolic power of gold, his creative path in Los Angeles, and the relationship between art, consciousness and personal transformation.

The interview appears in issue 86, starting on page 28, under the original title The Sacred Frequency of Gold — An Interview with Zack Zublena. The conversation explores gold far beyond its material value: from its cosmic origins to its place in spiritual traditions and in contemporary fine art photography.

For readers in the United Arab Emirates, a country where gold is woven into trade, architecture, hospitality and celebration, from the souks of Deira to the grand interiors of Abu Dhabi, Zack's approach offers a singular perspective on light, form and the human figure as a work of art. It is Fine Art Photography Los Angeles in conversation with one of the world's most ambitious art and culture destinations.

Watkins: a British editorial tradition that began in 1893

The story of Watkins goes back to March 1893, in London, when John Maurice Watkins began developing a publishing venture devoted to philosophy, mysticism, spiritual traditions and thinking that challenged the conventions of its time.

That year saw the appearance of Book-Notes, a publication gathering book reviews, news and texts connected to various currents of thought. From that tradition grew the Watkins publishing universe, known for its ties to spiritual literature, Eastern and Western philosophy and the study of consciousness.

With more than 130 years of history, Watkins represents one of the oldest British publishing traditions in this field. Its magazine Watkins Mind Body Spirit carries that legacy forward with interviews, essays and articles by authors and thinkers from around the world.

The history can be consulted on the official pages of Watkins Books and Watkins Publishing.

It is within this editorial context that the conversation with Zack Zublena takes place: an exchange that connects contemporary visual creation with questions humanity has been asking for centuries.

Gold as an artistic language: from the Dubai Gold Souk to Abu Dhabi's landmarks

The relationship between gold and humanity runs through civilizations and eras. It has been a symbol of the sun, the sacred, prosperity, permanence and light.

In the interview, Zack explores the meaning of gold in cultures such as ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and the Inca world, as well as its symbolic presence in various spiritual traditions.

For readers in the United Arab Emirates, gold is part of everyday cultural life. The story of the Deira Gold Souk, which grew alongside Dubai itself, is also told by Atlas Obscura, while Abu Dhabi's landmarks, among them the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Emirates Palace, show how light, ornament and craftsmanship can shape monumental space. Visit Abu Dhabi presents these buildings in its luxe architecture itinerary.

Zack interprets gold from a personal and artistic perspective. For him, it does not represent only luxury or wealth: it is a way of exploring light, human presence and the possibility of seeing a person beyond their usual identities.

The history of the element itself is extraordinary: gold was formed by astrophysical processes of enormous energy, long before the Earth existed. In Zack's philosophy, that cosmic origin adds a poetic dimension to the material.

The human figure as sculpture: a dialogue with the UAE's art scene

In Zack's work, the human figure becomes a surface of light. The models are real people, covered in reflective gold body paint and photographed in a carefully constructed staging.

The result is not an image generated by artificial intelligence, but an original photograph in which every posture, every movement and every reflection takes part in the composition.

His artistic sensibility is rooted in the Italian Renaissance, classical sculpture and the contemporary interpretation of the human form.

The United Arab Emirates has built one of the Middle East's most dynamic cultural landscapes. The Louvre Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi's other leading institutions, the galleries of Dubai and Abu Dhabi described in Harper's Bazaar Arabia and Sotheby's museum lover's guide to the UAE, and the wider scene covered by Art Basel show a country that takes collecting seriously.

Zack's golden photography offers another possibility within that dialogue: the figure is presented not as an individual identity, but as an artistic composition of light, form and shadow.

Art, beauty and the inner dimension of a person

During the conversation with Watkins, Zack reflects on the ability of beauty to communicate what is difficult to express in words.

His approach recalls an idea associated with Michelangelo: the artist does not simply impose a form on matter, but reveals a figure that seems to already lie within it.

In Zack's fine art photography, gold can serve a comparable function. Instead of hiding the person, it transforms our perception of them.

A gesture, the curve of a back or an illuminated hand can take on unexpected visual force. Photography finds itself in a territory where portraiture, sculpture and abstraction converge.

In a country where more than a hundred nationalities live side by side, and where heritage and the future meet every day, these relationships between the body, memory and meaning take on a particular resonance.

The finished work seeks to transcend the circumstances of the photo shoot. The model remains a real person, while the composition becomes an image that each viewer can interpret from their own experience.

Between desert and sea: identity, material and transformation

The art of the Gulf has a particularly rich tradition of exploring identity, memory, material and change.

From the old trading quarters of Deira and Al Fahidi to the towers of Downtown Dubai and the cultural district of Saadiyat Island, the country has long understood material and ornament as carriers of meaning.

These references help frame the cultural context from which a reader in the UAE can approach Zack's work, even though his practice is based mainly in Los Angeles.

In his interview, the artist proposes thinking of transformation not as a superficial change, but as a different way of perceiving one's own presence.

For him, gold can act as a visual metaphor for that transformation: a material that changes what we see without erasing the person standing before the camera.

This interpretation belongs to his personal artistic philosophy; it does not claim that gold has scientifically proven spiritual properties.

Diptychs and triptychs: when several images build a single story

An important part of Zack's work is made up of diptychs, triptychs and series of four photographs.

These compositions create relationships between postures, movements and silences. Each image keeps its individual character, but the whole develops a wider visual narrative.

The yoga-inspired works are especially representative of this search. The body positions are not presented only as physical exercises, but as sculptural elements that explore gravity, the energy of movement and the balance of forms.

Gold, creativity and inner sovereignty

Another theme running through the Watkins interview is spiritual sovereignty.

For Zack, this concept relates to independence of thought, the ability to question conditioning, and the recognition of one's own worth.

In his visual language, gold does not function only as a decorative coating. Its reflective qualities make light an active part of the work and allow the figure to take on a different presence.

The conversation also touches on the artist's personal experiences, the symbolic meaning of light, consciousness and inner freedom.

These reflections are developed in greater depth in his book The Sacred Frequency of Gold — Humanity's Blueprint for Awakening.

Exclusive art for UAE interiors and hotels: from Palm Jumeirah to Saadiyat Island

Contemporary photography can also build a deep relationship with the spaces we live in and the hospitality venues we visit.

In a Downtown Dubai, DIFC or Dubai Marina penthouse, a Palm Jumeirah, Emirates Hills or Jumeirah villa, an Abu Dhabi residence on Saadiyat Island, Al Maryah Island or Yas Island, a private majlis, a boutique hotel in Al Fahidi, a desert retreat, a wellness spa, a private members' club or a resort in Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Fujairah or Al Ain, a work of art can become a point of contemplation and define a space's visual identity.

Zack's golden compositions, with their dark backgrounds and sculptural reflections, offer a visual presence that can speak to both contemporary minimalist interiors and spaces of ornate, luxurious design.

In a country whose hospitality is renowned worldwide, the link between contemporary art and hotel design is a growing conversation, from the collections described in Culture Trip's guide to the UAE's most impressive buildings to the landmarks gathered by The National.

The collecting scene is also receiving institutional support. The National and Zawya have reported on Abu Dhabi's customs duty waiver programme for art collectors, while the annual calendar of Art Dubai, Abu Dhabi Art and Sharjah's cultural programme draws galleries and collectors from across the region and the world. Publications such as The National, Gulf News, Khaleej Times, Gulf Business, Arabian Business, Vogue Arabia, Harper's Bazaar Arabia and Architectural Digest Middle East follow this circuit closely, along with trends in architecture, design and luxury hospitality.

Conceived as Exclusive Art for Los Angeles Interiors, these photographs also find their place in hotels, spas, residences and private collections across the Emirates. Zack's work may appeal to architects, interior designers, hoteliers and collectors seeking contemporary fine art photography with its own visual identity, without implying any institutional connection with the organizations mentioned.

Human connection through golden photography

Zack's work also explores the relationship between two people.

In his photographs of pairs, gestures and closeness create a composition that goes beyond traditional portraiture.

The golden paint visually unifies the figures, yet each person keeps their individuality. The result is an artistic interpretation of trust, harmony and human connection.

In a society that places great value on family, hospitality and community, these works can open a dialogue about the different ways of representing the encounter between two individuals.

Whether a single figure, a pair or a sequence of images, Zack's artistic aim is to explore what can be expressed through form, composition and light.

An international interview connecting art, philosophy and consciousness

Zack Zublena's participation in issue 86 of Watkins Mind Body Spirit is part of a wider editorial conversation about consciousness, wisdom, inner freedom and the human experience.

The Summer 2026 issue includes contributions related to international figures such as Ken Wilber, Michael A. Singer, Jet Li, Pico Iyer, Jonathan Black and Banafsheh Sayyad.

The publication of the interview offers an opportunity to approach the philosophical dimension of Zack's work through a British masthead tied to a publishing history that began more than 130 years ago.

For readers and collectors in the United Arab Emirates, the article is a way to discover an international artistic proposal that combines photography, the human form, art history and personal reflection.

The original interview is written in English and can be read in full on the official Watkins website.

Discover Zack Zublena's golden fine art photography from the United Arab Emirates

From Los Angeles, Zack Zublena develops a photographic practice that unites light, the human figure and the sculptural tradition in a contemporary vision of art. Fine Art Photography Los Angeles by Zack Zublena is today a reference for hotels, interior designers and collectors in several countries.

His photographs are made with real people, reflective gold body paint and a creative process built on authentic photography, without using images generated by artificial intelligence.

For those who follow contemporary art from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and other Emirates, his collections offer an international approach to author photography and to artistic compositions inspired by the human form.

You can explore Zack Zublena's golden fine art photography collection or discover his diptychs, triptychs and four-piece sets.

Cultural references for readers in the United Arab Emirates

To explore the context of Emirati art, heritage and hospitality further, these institutions and sources offer collections, guides and reference material:

• UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism · Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque — an official profile of the landmark.
• Visit Abu Dhabi · Luxe architecture and inspiration — the capital's landmark buildings.
• UAE Embassy · Art and cultural experiences — art and culture from the UAE.
• The Art Newspaper · Abu Dhabi's arts and culture institutions — including the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
• Harper's Bazaar Arabia · Art galleries in the UAE — a guide to galleries.
• Sotheby's · A museum lover's guide to the UAE — the country's major museums.
• Gulf News · The Gold Souk that grew with Dubai — the story of Dubai's gold trade.
• The National · Abu Dhabi's art collectors scheme — support for collectors.