Mystic Messenger, a golden mask with the mystery of old Hollywood. Discover the work and its editions
Los Angeles: The City of Golden Light
Every evening, Los Angeles turns gold. Photographers and filmmakers have chased that light for more than a century: the long, warm glow of golden hour that falls across the canyons, the palm-lined boulevards and the Pacific. It is no coincidence that this city celebrates its greatest achievements with golden statuettes. In Los Angeles, gold is the colour of dreams realised.
It is also where Zack Zublena's gold photography was born. In 2016, in Los Angeles, the French-American artist began painting dancers, yogis, contortionists and athletes entirely in gold and photographing them against deep black backgrounds. Real people, real gold body paint, real light: the human figure transformed into a living sculpture.
Lion Goddess, born from the artist's love of big cats and the golden light of California. Step into this photograph, or explore the works collectors choose first.
Where It All Began, and Where It Is Going
Los Angeles is also at the heart of Zack Zublena's most ambitious project: Golden Heroes, a series of portraits of Paralympic athletes in gold, created for the Los Angeles 2028 Games and planned to travel the world afterwards. Gold becomes a language of recognition, honouring determination, resilience and the human story behind every victory. Read the introduction to the Los Angeles 2028 project.
This is an independent artistic initiative; no official affiliation with LA28 or the Paralympic Games is implied.
A World Capital of Art and Photography
Los Angeles has become one of the most important art cities in the world. High above Brentwood, the Getty Museum holds one of the great photography collections in the United States. On Wilshire Boulevard, LACMA opened its new David Geffen Galleries, designed by Peter Zumthor, in April 2026, a milestone the museum marked with a celebratory inauguration. Each February, Frieze Los Angeles brings the international art world to the Santa Monica Airport.
Downtown, the Arts District has grown into a destination of galleries, studios and restaurants, and Time Out Los Angeles keeps a guide to the city's best galleries, from Culver City to Hollywood. Collectors and designers who follow the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Magazine and The Hollywood Reporter know that here, art, design and entertainment are one conversation.
Hotels from Beverly Hills to Downtown
Los Angeles hotels have long understood the power of art. The Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire has shared the story of its own hotel art collection, and from the Sunset Strip to Santa Monica, boutique hotels compete to offer guests spaces worth photographing.
- Lobbies in Beverly Hills and Century City: a large-format gold photograph brings timeless glamour to marble and brass.
- West Hollywood and Sunset Strip: in bars and lounges, gold on black creates drama under evening light.
- Santa Monica and Venice: beachside hotels gain warmth and sophistication from a single sculptural figure.
- Downtown and the Arts District: gold softens concrete, brick and industrial volumes.
- Suites and private villas: a diptych above the bed gives each room its own identity.
A Michelangelo-inspired diptych, imagined for a suite in Beverly Hills. Explore the diptych, sizes and editions
Homes of Glass, Light and Ocean
Los Angeles homes are designed around light. In the Hollywood Hills and Silver Lake, mid-century modern houses open entire walls to the view. In Bel Air, Holmby Hills and Beverly Hills, grand estates offer tall walls made for statement art. In Malibu and the Pacific Palisades, contemporary beach houses blend glass, wood and stone. Each calls for a work that can hold its own against the landscape outside, and gold, the colour of California's light, answers naturally.
Golden Draped Goddess, a triptych with the grace of a Bel Air gallery wall. Discover the triptych
The Wellness Capital
Few cities live wellness like Los Angeles: yoga studios, luxury spas, private gyms and medical aesthetics clinics are part of daily life. Zack Zublena's gold figures, many of them yogis, dancers and athletes, were created for these spaces. They have been installed across more than 120 David Lloyd fitness and wellness clubs in the UK and Europe, seen by more than one million members. Read the David Lloyd story.
Tree of Eternal Gold, (THIS IS NO A.I! Video of the girls being painted in gold are available. The tree has been added afterward.) Rooted like the old oaks of the Santa Monica Mountains. Bring this work into your space
Practical Notes for Los Angeles
- Earthquake-safe hanging: use security hangers or museum-grade fixings that lock the frame to the wall, especially above beds and seating.
- Sun: California light is strong year-round. Keep works out of direct sun and choose UV-protective glazing.
- Coastal air: in Malibu, Santa Monica and Venice, sealed conservation framing protects prints from salt and humidity.
- Light: warm, dimmable lighting keeps the gold glowing long after golden hour.
Bring the Golden Hour Home
Whether you are designing a boutique hotel in West Hollywood, a wellness studio in Santa Monica or a residence above the canyons, the right photograph can carry the warmth of Los Angeles light into every season. Explore the Most Collected works, the Animal Fusion series and the diptychs and triptychs, or contact Zack Zublena to arrange a studio visit or discuss a commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should fine art photography be hung in Los Angeles?
Use earthquake-safe security hangers that lock the frame to the wall, avoid hanging heavy works directly above beds without secure fixings, and keep prints out of direct sunlight.
Does gold photography suit a mid-century modern home?
Yes. Its clean composition and warm gold sit naturally with walnut, glass, stone and open views, adding a sculptural focal point without clutter.
Can Zack Zublena create work for a Los Angeles hotel, spa or studio?
Yes. From a single statement piece to a coordinated series across several spaces, works can be selected or commissioned for each project, an approach proven in more than 120 David Lloyd clubs.
Is the gold real?
The gold effect is created with gold body paint and carefully controlled lighting on real people, without digital effects or precious metals. 24K Gold available upon request.
Every photograph is crafted by hand, with real people, real gold body paint and real light. Discover how each work is made, by hand, not AI.
About the Artist
Zack Zublena is a French-American fine art photographer who has been painting dancers, yogis and athletes in gold since 2016, creating luminous figures that live between photography and sculpture. His work has been installed in more than 120 David Lloyd clubs across the UK and Europe.
Los Angeles, through the lens of gold.
Wander through a curated selection of works imagined for the city's hotels, canyon homes and wellness spaces. Enter the Los Angeles collection.
