Golden
Vienna
Viennese architecture as high-contrast photography. Printed on canvas and fine art baryta paper, gilded by hand with 24 carat gold leaf. Every piece one of a kind.
First the image is stripped back to light and shadow. Then the gold returns — leaf by leaf, with a brush, exactly where the city already glitters.
The photograph
Digitally worked high-contrast photography. Viennese buildings from angles you never get walking past them.
The print
Fine art baryta paper for the black and white series, heavy canvas for the large formats.
The gilding
24 carat gold leaf, applied by hand. One-off works, editions of very few.
Mariahilf, in black and white
Vienna's sixth district, printed on baryta paper and gilded. This is the series people ask about — it was shown from December 2015 to January 2016 and the works are sold.
These reproductions show the works without the gilding — gold cannot be photographed flat, it either disappears or burns out the frame. See how they look finished
And this is how they look finished
Photographed in the studio and on the wall. No studio lighting, no retouching — there is no honest way to shoot 24 carat gold.
Currently available
Two works from the series are still for sale, framed, signed and dated 2015. Both one of a kind.
Price on request. Viewing in Vienna by appointment. Send an enquiry
24 carat, loose leaves. Studio, Vienna.
How the gold gets onto the picture
No printing process, no filter. The leaf is picked up with a gilder's tip, laid down and pressed on. Whatever tears stays torn, which is why no two prints are alike.
150 Years of the Ringstrasse
The first series, made in 2015 for the anniversary of Vienna's Ringstrasse and exhibited on Opernring. Thirty views between City Hall, the Hofburg, Urania and the Ringturm.
“Rathaus Skyview” (110 × 80) was auctioned in aid of childhood cancer care and hangs today in Vienna's Altes Rathaus. The remaining works of the series are held in private galleries in Vienna and can be viewed by appointment.
Exhibitions
- Golden Vienna: 150 Years of the RingstrassePHOTOart2you, Opernring 6, 1010 Vienna · June to September
- Golden Vienna: MariahilfDecember to January · Opening night in aid of childhood cancer care
- Mein WienBrick-5, Fünfhausgasse 5, 1150 Vienna · 27 October
- Golden Vienna at TAKTTAKT Keller, Ingen-Housz-Gasse 2, 1090 Vienna · 6 May
- Light & ShadowVienna
Thomas Salamonski
Born in Vienna in 1978, trained in photography and in classical painting. After a technical and commercial career he works today as an independent professional photographer in Vienna.
Golden Vienna is where both trainings meet: the picture is taken with a camera, the gold is laid by hand. Alongside the exhibition series he photographs portrait, business and advertising work.