Raphaël Zarka (b. 1977, Montpellier) develops a sculptural practice investigating the migration of geometric forms across disciplines, epochs, and contexts. A graduate of the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and former Villa Medici resident (2010-2011), he draws upon sources from Galilean mechanics to crystallographic models, tracing how learned forms persist through popular usage. His work—encompassing sculpture, photography, video, and publication: constructs rigorous dialogues between mathematical inquiry, art history, and material culture.

Central to his methodology is the concept of the « instrumental sculpture, » designed for active use, particularly in skateboarding practice. Projects like « Topographie anecdotée du skateboard » (2008) and « Cycloïde Piazza » (Centre Pompidou, 2024) evidence his interest in skateboarding as a relational model for artistic production. By rendering geometric abstractions practicable, Zarka creates sculptural propositions that function as sites of embodied knowledge and lived experience.