Mystic Messenger, a golden mask with the elegance of Chicago's Jazz Age. Discover the work and its editions
Chicago: A City Written in Black and Gold
On Michigan Avenue, one skyscraper tells the story of Chicago's love affair with black and gold better than any other. Completed in 1929, the Carbide & Carbon Building rises from a base of black granite to a crown trimmed in gold leaf, one of the great Art Deco landmarks profiled by the Chicago Architecture Center. Today, restored as the St. Jane hotel, it still glows above the Magnificent Mile, a revival celebrated by Preservation Chicago.
Zack Zublena's fine art photographs speak the same language. Real people, their bodies entirely covered in gold paint, emerge from deep black backgrounds like living sculptures: the colours of Chicago's most glamorous tower, brought to life.
Golden Draped Goddess, a triptych with the poise of a Magnificent Mile lobby. Step closer to this work, or explore the photographs collectors choose first.
The Capital of Architecture, and of Photography
Chicago invented the skyscraper and has never stopped celebrating design. From Millennium Park's mirrored Cloud Gate to the steel and glass of Mies van der Rohe's Lake Shore Drive towers, the city teaches its residents to look closely at form, light and material.
Photography has a strong home here too. The Art Institute of Chicago was among the first major American museums to collect photography, and its Photography and Media department holds one of the country's most important collections. In the South Loop, the Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College is devoted entirely to the medium. Each spring, EXPO Chicago brings international galleries to Navy Pier. Readers of the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Magazine and Crain's Chicago Business know that art and architecture are part of the city's DNA.
Hotels from the Magnificent Mile to Fulton Market
Chicago hotels mix historic grandeur with bold contemporary design. In Art Deco landmarks and modernist towers alike, art helps each property tell its own story, as Open House Chicago showed when it opened the doors of the St. Jane to the public.
- Magnificent Mile and Streeterville: grand lobbies call for large-format gold photography with real presence.
- River North: boutique hotels and galleries share the same streets, and art feels at home.
- West Loop and Fulton Market: in converted warehouses, gold brings warmth to brick, steel and concrete.
- Bars and supper clubs: gold on black glows under low light, echoing the city's Jazz Age glamour.
- Suites and spas: one photograph above the bed or in a treatment room creates a sense of calm and identity.
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.) Golden branches to warm a long Chicago winter. Bring this work into your space
The Gold Coast, Lake Shore Drive and the North Shore
It is fitting that Chicago's most elegant neighbourhood is called the Gold Coast. Along Astor Street and the lakefront, historic mansions and townhouses offer tall ceilings, fireplaces and formal rooms made for statement art. Lake Shore Drive's co-ops and Streeterville's towers frame Lake Michigan in glass. North of the city, Winnetka, Kenilworth and Lake Forest offer grand family estates among the trees. Each calls for art that brings warmth during the long, grey winter months.
A Michelangelo-inspired diptych, imagined for a Gold Coast townhouse. Explore the diptych, sizes and editions
Trusted at Scale
Zack Zublena's photographs have been installed across the interiors of more than 120 David Lloyd fitness and wellness clubs in the UK and Europe, where they are seen by more than one million members. For Chicago hotel groups, private clubs and wellness brands with several locations, this experience shows how one visual language can unite many spaces. Read the David Lloyd story.
Lion Goddess, a golden companion for the bronze lions that guard the Art Institute. Explore the work and its editions
Practical Notes for Chicago
- Winter light: short, grey days make warm, dimmable lighting essential. Lit well, the gold glows like a fireplace.
- Dry heated air: winter heating dries the air, so choose conservation framing and keep works away from radiators and vents.
- Lake humidity: summers on the lake bring humidity, and sealed framing protects prints year-round.
- Access: in historic buildings and co-ops, measure elevators and stairwells. A diptych or triptych is often easier to deliver than one very large piece.
A Golden Signature for Your Chicago Space
Whether you are designing a hotel on the Magnificent Mile, a private club in Fulton Market or a home on the Gold Coast, the right photograph will bring warmth and presence through every season. Explore the Most Collected works, the diptychs and triptychs and the Dark Elegance collection, or contact Zack Zublena to discuss a curated selection or a commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
What art brings warmth to a Chicago home in winter?
Warm, luminous works. Gold figurative photography against a black background reflects warm light beautifully and brings a sense of glow to grey winter days.
How do you protect fine art photography in Chicago's climate?
Use conservation framing, keep works away from radiators and heating vents, and choose sealed framing to protect prints from summer humidity near the lake.
Can Zack Zublena create work for a Chicago hotel or private club?
Yes. From a single statement piece to a coordinated series across several spaces, 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.
Chicago, through the lens of gold.
Wander through a curated selection of works imagined for the city's hotels, Gold Coast residences and private clubs. Enter the Chicago collection.
