Gold Fine Art in Luxury Hospitality: Paris, Monaco, Geneva & Brussels
Gold Fine Art in Luxury Hospitality: Paris, Monaco, Geneva & Brussels
Four cities, one quiet rule: the finest hotels do not decorate, they compose. From a Haussmann lobby in Paris to a Monte-Carlo suite above the harbour, from a lakeside salon in Geneva to a grand brasserie in Brussels, a single, confident work of art can set the tone of an entire room. At Zack Zublena, a French-American fine art photographer based in Los Angeles, that work is a photograph in which the human body or a wild cat is painted in gold, then captured by hand, never by AI.
Fashion and interior design trends come and go, but one thing never changes: we will always love the big cats. The splendid triptych above, where a leopard, a gold-painted figure and a lioness meet in quiet dialogue, exists thanks to Zack's photoshoot on safari in South Africa, where he photographed these animals himself.
Why gold belongs in luxury hospitality
Gold is the oldest language of luxury, and the most delicate to use. In a hotel, a spa, a private club or a restaurant, it must glow rather than shout. A gold fine art photograph does exactly that: it reflects the warm light of a lobby, answers the brass of a bar, and gives guests a quiet focal point they remember long after check-out. Each work is a limited edition fine art photograph, printed in the large sizes that hospitality spaces ask for.
Paris: art de vivre, from lobby to boutique hotel
Paris is where interiors become a profession. Every January and September, designers, hoteliers and buyers meet at Maison&Objet to decide what the next season of French interiors will look like, and gold, brass and sculptural forms keep returning. In the city's palace hotels and townhouse addresses, a large photograph above a fireplace or at the end of a corridor does what a tapestry once did. For inspiration on the museum side, the collections of the Centre Pompidou and the Musée du Louvre remind us how much the French eye values form, light and the human figure. To plan a stay in the city, Paris Tourist Office is the official guide, and Le Figaro follows the hotel openings that shape the capital.
Monaco: a small principality, a great appetite for beauty
Monaco is only two square kilometres, yet it is one of the most art-conscious places in Europe. Its palace hotels and casino rooms, run by Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, treat art as part of hospitality, while the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco keeps contemporary creation at the heart of the city. For visitors, Visit Monaco is the official reference, and Monaco-Matin reports on the principality's openings and events. In a suite with views of the Mediterranean, a golden leopard or a gold-painted figure is not an accessory: it is a mirror for the light outside.
Geneva: discretion, watchmaking and a taste for the rare
Geneva has built its reputation on precision and discretion. Its hotels on the lake, its private banks and its watchmaking houses all share one trait: nothing is accidental. The city's contemporary art scene, from the MAMCO to the fair Art Genève, attracts collectors who look at craftsmanship first. A limited edition gold photograph, crafted by hand, fits that sensibility. Geneva Tourism is the best starting point to explore the city, and the Tribune de Genève covers its cultural life every day.
Brussels: grand hotels, Art Nouveau and a serious collecting culture
Brussels is the capital of Art Nouveau and one of Europe's most generous cities for collectors. BOZAR fills its halls with exhibitions from all over the world, and the antiques and art fair BRAFA draws buyers every winter. Hotels, restaurants and members' clubs in the city are used to rooms with character, so a large gold photograph above a velvet banquette or in a stairwell finds its place easily. visit.brussels lists the city's addresses, and Le Soir follows its cultural scene.
The feline art comeback, and why it suits hotels
Big cats are returning to interior design, and for good reason. A leopard or a lion carries elegance, power and calm at once, which is exactly the mood a luxury hotel wants. Zack Zublena photographed these animals himself on safari in South Africa, then fused them with the gold-painted human figure in his Animal Fusion collection, available as diptychs, triptychs and large single works for hospitality spaces.
A track record in hospitality
Zack Zublena's photographs have been installed in more than 120 David Lloyd Clubs across the United Kingdom and Europe, reaching over a million members. Read how gold fine art found its place in the David Lloyd Clubs.
Frequently asked questions
Can the photographs be produced in large formats for a lobby or a restaurant?
Yes. The works can be printed in the sizes that hospitality spaces require, as limited edition fine art photographs.
Are the photographs made with AI?
No. Every photograph is crafted by hand: the models are painted in gold, then photographed. Some works are composited by hand in Photoshop, never generated by AI.
Can an interior designer or hotelier request a custom piece?
Yes. Designers and hoteliers can ask for a specific size, a colour harmony or a custom composition for their project.
The Photographs Chosen by Collectors
