Golden Draped Goddess, a triptych with the presence of a grand Manhattan lobby. Discover the triptych and its editions
New York: A City Where Gold Has Always Meant Ambition
New York has never been shy about gold. Above the skating rink at Rockefeller Center, Paul Manship's gilded Prometheus has carried fire to humanity since 1934, one of the most photographed sculptures in America, as Time Out New York recounts. Look up inside Grand Central Terminal and gold-leaf constellations shine across a sea-green ceiling. Look up from Lexington Avenue and the Chrysler Building's Art Deco crown catches the light like a jewel.
In this city, gold is not decoration. It is a statement of ambition, craft and arrival, and it has always looked best against shadow, from the gilded lobbies of the 1930s to the dark, intimate bars of today's boutique hotels.
Zack Zublena's fine art photographs continue that story. Real people, their bodies entirely covered in gold paint, emerge from deep black backgrounds like the city's own sculptures brought to life. They are made for New York interiors that want art with presence, not decoration.
A sculptural diptych in the spirit of Michelangelo, at home in a penthouse suite. Step closer to this work, or explore the photographs collectors choose first.
A Photography Capital
Few cities have shaped the art of photography like New York. The International Center of Photography, founded in 1974, now welcomes visitors in its home at Essex Crossing on the Lower East Side, a move Artforum covered as a new chapter for the institution. In Chelsea, hundreds of galleries line the streets between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues, and NYC Tourism's Chelsea gallery guide is a good place to start exploring them.
Every spring, Frieze New York takes over The Shed at Hudson Yards, and each September The Armory Show fills the Javits Center with galleries from around the world. Collectors who follow the art pages of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine and the Observer know that in this city, photography sits proudly alongside painting and sculpture in the finest collections.
New York Hotels as Private Collections
The best New York hotels have long been curated like private homes. As Galerie Magazine has shown, some hotels now hold art collections worthy of a museum. In a city where guests can choose from hundreds of luxury rooms, art has become one of the clearest ways for a property to stand apart.
New York hotels also have their own constraints. Lobbies are often compact, corridors long and narrow, and guest rooms intimate. That is where gold figurative photography shines: one strong image can transform a small space, and a coordinated series can turn a corridor into a gallery walk.
- Compact lobbies: a single large-format photograph facing the entrance creates more impact than several small works.
- Bars and restaurants: under low evening light, gold glows warmly against dark walls, velvet and brass.
- Corridors: a rhythm of diptychs and triptychs leads guests from the elevator to their door.
- Guest rooms and suites: one photograph above the bed gives each room a sense of identity.
- Rooftops and lounges: gold answers the skyline at sunset.
Mystic Messenger, a gold mask with the allure of a Manhattan evening. Discover the photograph
Townhouses, Lofts and Penthouses
New York's private homes are as varied as its neighbourhoods. Upper East Side townhouses, with their tall ceilings, mouldings and fireplaces, welcome a work with classical gravitas. Tribeca and SoHo lofts, with brick, cast iron and open volumes, call for large formats that hold their own against industrial architecture. In the glass towers of Hudson Yards and Billionaires' Row, gold brings warmth to walls that face the sky. And from Brooklyn brownstones to summer houses in the Hamptons, a single gold photograph can become the soul of a room.
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.) A quiet echo of Central Park inside the home. Bring this work into your space
Practical Notes for New York Projects
- Access: measure elevators, stairwells and doorways before choosing a size. In pre-war buildings, a diptych or triptych is often easier to deliver than one very large piece.
- Heat and humidity: keep works away from radiators and steam pipes, and choose conservation framing for the humid summers and dry, heated winters.
- Light: avoid direct sun on south-facing walls, and use warm, dimmable lighting to make the gold glow at night.
- Building rules: in co-ops and landmarked buildings, check installation rules with the building management before drilling.
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 New York hotel groups, residential developers and wellness brands with several locations, this experience shows how one visual language can unite many spaces. Read the David Lloyd story.
Lion Goddess, strength and grace, worthy of the lions that guard the New York Public Library. Explore the work and its editions
Bring Gold to Your New York Space
Whether you are opening a boutique hotel in the Flatiron District, redesigning a townhouse on the Upper East Side or furnishing a penthouse above Central Park, the right photograph will become part of your space's story. Explore the Most Collected works, the diptychs and triptychs or the Animal Fusion series, or contact Zack Zublena to discuss a curated selection or a bespoke commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
What art works best in a small New York hotel lobby?
One strong, large-format photograph usually works better than several small pieces. Figurative gold photography against a black background reads clearly from the door and gives a compact space a sense of grandeur.
Can a large photograph be delivered to a pre-war apartment?
Yes, with planning. Measure the elevator, stairwell and doors first. A diptych or triptych can create the same impact as one very large work while being much easier to deliver and install.
Does gold photography suit a loft or an industrial interior?
Yes. Gold brings warmth to brick, concrete and steel, while the black backgrounds echo cast iron and dark wood.
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.
New York, through the lens of gold.
Wander through a curated selection of works imagined for the city's hotels, townhouses, lofts and penthouses. Enter the New York collection.
