Raphaël Zarka, “Gnomonic woods #33” , 2023

Raphaël Zarka

“Gnomonic woods #33” , 2023

tinta sobre papel sobre compensado pintado
paint on paper on painted plywood

41,6 x 29,3 x 3 cm
16.57 x 11.53 x 1.18 in

Raphaël Zarka's artistic research starts from theoretical experimentalism, which crosses various media, including painting, sculpture, photography and video. His main interest lies in the sculptural potential of structures, their volumes and geometries, influenced by architecture and urbanity. The artist frequently collaborates with local communities to create his projects, which explore the history and materiality of the objects and spaces involved. Skateboarding, in particular, represents an important element in his investigation, not only for the culture that surrounds that practice, but also for the dynamics of the surfaces used, such as ramps. Also, it is worth mentioning that the point of convergence of his work is a change in the meaning of the forms according to the space and time in which they are inserted.

Raphaël Zarka uses theoretical and scientific experimentalism to build his artistic research, mainly on the sculptural potential of structures, their volumes and geometries, influenced by architecture and urbanity, in productions that include painting, sculpture, photography and video.

As an unfolding research into sundials, the artist' series of paintings "Gnomonic Woods" (2025) is inspired by its esoteric ornaments - circles, hearts, triangles, crosses and trapezoids - and modernist painting, to create geometric combinations printed on paper. Wood, a recurring element in his research, appears as a way of experimenting with overlapping shapes and colors. Technically, this practice is similar to woodcutting, but preserves the essence of Raphaël Zarka's investigation with sculptural principles. The artist covers pieces of wood, cut into triangles, circles, squares, etc., with paint and applies them to the paper. Once the composition is ready, the artist fixes the paper to a wooden board. This is the first time he has worked spontaneously, without prior planning, following a protocol that allows for chance in both the overlapping of colors and the variations of shapes.

Raphaël Zarka parte do experimentalismo teórico e científico para construir sua pesquisa artística, principalmente sobre a potencialidade escultórica das estruturas, seus volumes e geometrias, influenciado pela arquitetura e urbanidade, em produções que incluem pintura, escultura, fotografia e vídeo.

Como um desdobramento da pesquisa do artista com os “relógios de sol", a série de pinturas “Gnomonic Woods” (2025), inspira-se nos ornamentos esotéricos - círculos, corações, triângulos, cruzes e trapézios - e na pintura modernista, para pensar em combinações geométricas impressas sobre o papel. A madeira, elemento recorrente na sua pesquisa, surge como forma de experimentar sobreposições de formas e cores. Tecnicamente, a prática é similar à da xilografia, mas preserva a essência da pesquisa de Raphaël Zarka com os princípios escultóricos. O artista cobre com tinta os pedaços de madeira recortados em triângulos, círculos, quadrados etc, e aplica no papel. Uma vez que a composição esteja pronta, o artista fixa o papel em uma placa de madeira. Essa é a primeira vez que ele trabalha de forma espontânea, sem prévio planejamento, seguindo um protocolo que permite o acaso tanto na sobreposição de cores, quanto nas variações de formas.