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BZ
Z O K A I T E S S C U L P T U R E L . L . C .
B O B B Y Z O K A I T E S
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U N I T E D S T A T E S
W W W . B O B B Y Z O K A I T E S . C O M
B O B B Y Z O KA I T E S
P U B L I C A R T + F I N E A R T + S C U L P T U R E
Z O K A I T E S S C U L P T U R E L . L . C .
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To the Chandler Fire Memorial Art Review Committee:
My name is Bobby Zokaites and, as a local Arizona artist, I am pleased to submit to this project with a portfolio that showcases my
ability to work in a wide variety of materials toward the creation of community-specific monuments, memorials, and other unique
markers of place. My distinctive sculptural work creates dynamic relationships between community, nature, culture, and history.
Regularly working with different groups, across a large geography, has made me a natural collaborator who recognizes the value of
community specificity. With civil servants in my own family, I know that each service department carries within it its own nuanced
sense of community, honor, pride and reverence for that duty. My collaborative design process begins by identifying what is
important to each community through dialog. From those conversations, I then design towards articulating poignant notes or
recurring themes as substantial touchstones informing the larger form or function of the work.
“A Time Machine Called Tinaja” (2020) illustrates this process. Developed as a joint endeavor of the City of Phoenix’s Water
Services Department and Office of Arts and Culture, this reclamation project partnered Zokaites Sculpture with Dig Studio to turn
a defunct well-site into a community greenspace with walking paths, sculpture, fencing, lighting, and landscaping. Our design team
drew inspiration from historical aerial photographs, meetings with neighbors, and school workshops at nearby Trevor G. Browne
High School. In the classroom, several students indicated a need for “neutral” space while others discussed ideas of nostalgia;
eventually, someone mentioned a time machine. This project not only solved local lighting and safety issues, and saw enough new
vegetation to significantly reduce the amount of radiant heat coming from the site, but it also transformed a single student’s
resonant and poignant reflection on the local experience into civic design that will exist beyond both our lifetimes.
This and other past projects have given me experience working with architects, engineers and contractors when addressing issues
related to the work’s aesthetics, safety, longevity and structure. The materials of “A Time Machine Called Tinaja” can withstand the
extreme thermal cycles of the Sonoran Desert and urban heat island effects; its sightlines were kept open and clear for safety
considerations; and the lot’s new spatial arrangement encourages distancing from the neighboring archery range. I’ve also recently
completed three new sculptures for a light rail expansion project in Tempe. Situated in the middle of traffic at three different
streetcar stops, these sculptures were designed, engineered, fabricated and inspected with the highest degree of precaution, within
strict size and clearance parameters, on a coordinated schedule that has deftly maneuvered shifts related to the pandemic.
Articulating the voice and vision of the Chandler Fire community in a sculptural aesthetic that is bold, reverential and enduring will
provide an iconic visual statement of memoriam and community connection. It is integral to my practice that my work connects
residents to one another and their community in new ways, creating new and lasting experiences. Thank you for your consideration
and the opportunity to apply.
Sincerely,
BOBBY ZOKAITES
B O B B Y Z O KA I T E S
P U B L I C A R T + F I N E A R T + S C U L P T U R E
Z O K A I T E S S C U L P T U R E L . L . C .
B O B B Y Z O K A I T E S . C O M — I G : @ B O B B Y Z O K A I T E S
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BIO
Bobby Zokaites is a U.S. based sculptor skilled in a variety of materials with a wealth of experience
producing large scale works for private and public spaces. His industrious work ethic and urban design
sense enable him to create distinctive works of art that foster new and dynamic relationships between
community, site, history and the natural environment. Blurring the line between fine art, public
sculpture, and collaborative practices, his work engages diverse audiences, humanizes public spaces,
and often encourages participation with larger-than-life-sized artwork. Zokaites earned his BFA at New
York College of Ceramics at Alfred University (2008) and his MFA in Sculpture at Arizona State
University (2014). He recently completed two permanent municipal infrastructure projects in Arizona.
It is integral to Zokaites' practice that his work connects residents to one another and their community
in new ways, creating new and lasting experiences.
B I O A N D S T A T E M E N T - 1 / 1
RECENT MEDIA FEATURES
The Visual Jazz of Bobby Zokaites
by Jeff Kronenfeld
Java Magazine May 2019
Meet Bobby Zokaites | Sculptor
Shoutout Arizona
April 2021
Bobby Zokaites: In His Own Words
Phoenix Art Museum Blog
April 2021
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B O B B Y Z O K A I T E S . C O M / I G : @ B O B B Y Z O K A I T E S
EDUCATION
2014
MFA Sculpture — Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
2008
BFA Fine Art — New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University, Alfred, NY
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2015 - Present Owner — Zokaites Sculpture, L.L.C., Tempe, AZ
2015 – 2017
Faculty Associate— Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
2009 – 2011
Site Manager— Franconia Sculpture Park, Shafer, MN
MEMBERSHIPS
2020 - Present International Sculpture Center
2018 - Present Royal Society of Sculptors
B O B B Y Z O KA I T E S
F I N E A R T + S C U L P T U R E + P U B L I C A R T
Z O K A I T E S S C U L P T U R E L . L . C .
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PERMANENT PUBLIC ART
2022
Sun Dials — Country Club Way Equestrian Path, City of Tempe, Tempe, AZ - $20,000 USD (design only)
2020 A Time Machine Called Tinaja — Community Greenspace Project, City of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ - $335,000 USD (Zokaites Sculpture scope)
An Antonym for a Tchotchke, Superbloom, and Sign Remix — Tempe Streetcar, Valley Metro, Tempe AZ - $157,000 USD
2015 The Oculus, Phoenix Country Day School, Paradise Valley, AZ - $50,000 USD
TEMPORARY PUBLIC SCULPTURE
2022
Yucca Oraxlie, Havana Street Biennial, Aurora, CO
2021
Thwimp Thwomp, City of Tempe Sesquicentennial Festival, Tempe Beach Park, Tempe City Arts, Tempe, AZ
Magrathea, Merriweather District Artist In Residence Exhibition, Columbia, MD
2020
8’ Weaving and Joshua Tree, Roadside Attraction, ArtFarmPHX, Valleywide, AZ
2019 Thwimp Thwomp, Arts in the Parks Initiative of Tempe City Arts, Tempe, AZ
Yucca Oraxlie, Peoria Public Library for the IN FLUX multi-city initiative, Peoria, AZ
Majestic Hoodoo, Majestic Park for the CONTEMPORARY Initiative, Las Vegas, NV
2016 Data Play — collaboration with Vibrant Lives, Currents New Media Festival, New Mexico Arts Division, Santa Fe, NM
Data Play — collaboration with Vibrant Lives, Mesa Spark, Mesa Center for the Arts, Mesa Public Art Program, Mesa, AZ
Regeneration, The Orme School, Mayer, AZ
2015 Shifting Sand Lands, Scottsdale City Hall, Scottsdale Arts Festival, Scottsdale, AZ., Scottsdale Public Art Commission
2013
Boone’s Flugelhorn, Gilbert, AZ., Commissioned by Gilbert Arts & Culture Board and Scottsdale Art Commission
2012
The Machine the Sneetches Made , Paragraph Gallery, Kansas City, MO, Commissioned by the University of Missouri-Kansas City, MO
InterUrban — collaboration with Chris Carl, Paul Howe, and Sutton Demlong, Urbana, IL, Commissioned by Urbana Land Arts, Urbana, IL
Something to Write Home About — Collaboration with Gregory Sale, Glendale Jazz & Blues Fest, Glendale, AZ
Emerge, Arizona State University Art Museum, Tempe, AZ
2010
Thanksgiving, Franconia Sculpture Park, Shafer, MNs
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B O B B Y Z O K A I T E S . C O M / I G : @ B O B B Y Z O K A I T E S
B O B B Y Z O KA I T E S
141 Hu Esta Dr., Tempe, AZ, 85281 - (540) 392-2541 - zokaitessculpture@gmail.com - www.bobbyzokaites.com
*Denotes exhibition catalog
**Denotes corresponding lecture
***Denotes solo exhibition
SELECT EXHIBITIONS
2023
Spring Solo Exhibition, Mesa Art Center, Mesa, AZ***
2021
Rocking S Art Ranch Opening Exhibition, Phoenix, AZ
Creative Gateways, Frederick Arts Council Art Center, Frederick, MD
Huephoria, Merriweather District/Howard Hughes Corp., Columbia, MD
Featured Artist: Bobby Zokaites, Stone Countertop Co., Tempe, AZ
Artlink Annual Juried Exhibition, Found:Re, Phoenix, AZ*
2020
Greater Together, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Phoenix, AZ
Confluence, Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction, CO**
2019 Mesa Prototyping Project Exhibition, Mesa Art Space Gallery, Mesa, AZ
Art d’Core Gala Exhibition, Warehouse 215 at Bentley Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
Artlink Juried Exhibition, Park Central, Phoenix, AZ*
2018
DRAW, Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe, AZ
Opening Exhibition, Where?House Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
2016 Frankenstein, Hayden Library, Phoenix AZ
Vibrant Lives, Currents New Media Arts Festival, Santa Fe, NM
Franconia@Casket, 20th Small Sculpture Alumni Show, Minneapolis, MN
Mesa Spark, Mesa Center for the Arts, Mesa, AZ
Regeneration Art Show, The Orme School, Mayer, AZ
2015 Shifting Sand Lands, Scottsdale Arts Festival, Scottsdale, AZ
2014
Where Tom Sawyer Wears A Business Suit, Grant St. Studios, Phoenix, AZ***
NOTABLE COLLECTIONS
Joshua Tree Desert Highlands, CA
E.L. Wood Braiding Co., NY
City of Phoenix, AZ
Valley Metro, AZ
Tempe Arts, Tempe, AZ
New Mexico Public Works, NM
Phoenix Country Day School, AZ
iRobot Corporation, NJ
Salem Art Works, NY
Franconia Sculpture Park, MN
Outer Space, NY
Wickerson Studios, KS
Urbana Land Arts, IL
Private Collections
ARTIST RESIDENCIES
2021
Merriweather District Artist in Residence (MDAIR), Columbia, MD
Joshua Tree Highlands Artist Residency (JTHAR), Joshua Tree, CA
2020
Visiting Foundry Artist, Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction, CO.
2018
Mesa Prototyping Residency, Mesa Center for the Arts / Mesa C.A.R.E., AZ
Draw Residency and Exhibition, Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe, AZ
2015
Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, KS
2012
Urbana Land Arts, Urbana, IL
Franconia Sculpture Park, Hot Metal Residency, Shafer, MN
2008
Salem Art Works, Salem, NY
Butley Mills Studio, US/UK Cast Iron Symposium, Suffix, England, UK
George Coles Art Foundry, Dorset, England, UK
HONORS | AWARDS | GRANTS
Non-university
2021
Merriweather District AIR Residency, MD
Joshua Tree Highlands Artist Residency Fellowship, CA
Arizona Governor’s Arts Awards Nominee, AZ
2018
CERF+ Get Ready Grant - CERF+
Arizona Governor’s Arts Awards Nominee, AZ
2013
Awesome Without Borders Project Grant, Awesome Foundation
2007
Intern Artist Fellowship – Franconia Sculpture Park, Shafer, MN
Arizona State University
2013
Special Talent Award
Arizona Sculpture Fellowship
2012 Special Talent Award
2012
Discovery Scholarship
Alfred University
2008
Student Research and Travel Grant (to USUK Iron Symposium, UK)
Student Research and Travel Grant (to CAA, Los Angeles, CA)
2006
Argus Award (Undergraduate Research Grant)
2004–08
Presidential Scholarship
WORKSHOPS, LECTURES, AND BIBLIOGRAPHY AVAILABLE
UPON REQUEST. (Omitted for length.)
P O R T F O L I O I M A G E L I S T 1 / 1
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4 - 5 | The Oculus | PHOENIX COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL (AZ) | Fall 2015 | $50,000 USD
18’ x 18’ x 4’ — Powder-coated Steel, Polyurethane Panels. A prime example of placemaking through a charette
process, students decided on a spiral agave as the design concept for this permanent architecturally-integrated
amenity. Then, working with architect Doug Brown, I designed and manufactured this object specifically for the
Phoenix Country Day School.
3 | Tempe Streetcar | VALLEY METRO (AZ) | Spring 2020 | $157,000 USD
Expected to open in 2021, the Tempe Streetcar is a highly-anticipated lightrail expansion project in Tempe, AZ. I
was selected to design, fabricate, and install sculptures at three stops along Apache Blvd.
Antonym for a Tchotchke (pictured) — 20’ x 6’ x 2’, Steel and Automotive Paint. Abstracted air handlers on
high perches overlook the streetcar stop at Dorsey Rd.. The contemporary presentation of seemingly arcane items
remind viewers that Tempe is not only built around the industry of the college, but also thrives due to its other
histories of manufacturing and industry.
Superbloom — 16' x 2' x 2' ea., Steel, Automotive Paint, Polyurethane Panel, LED Lighting. This installation at
Paseo Del Saber features 10 custom luminaries mounted to 5 antique lightposts. Nestled within university
architecture similarly named for desert botanicals, this artwork is a colorful abstraction of the valley's famous
wildflower superblooms.
Sign Remix — 20’ x 9’ x 5’, Steel, Automotive Paint, NeonFlex Lighting. Apache Boulevard, with its rich history of
iconic signage, has remained a bellwether landscape for the continuous flux between university and city
architecture, campus and urban life. In honor of this tradition, I’ve designed Sign Remix, blending historical signage
with contemporary materials.
B O B B Y Z O KA I T E S
P U B L I C A R T + F I N E A R T + S C U L P T U R E
- P O R T F O L I O I N D E X -
Z O K A I T E S S C U L P T U R E L . L . C .
1 - 2 | A Time Machine Called Tinaja | CITY OF PHOENIX (AZ) | Spring 2020 | $335,000 USD
179’ x 74’ x 19’ – Steel, Polyurethane, LEDs, Concrete, Native Plantings. Working with the City’s Water Dept.,
Office of Arts & Culture and Dig Studio, we returned a defunct well site to its community as a set of sculptural
arches, luminaries, perimeter fencing and a winding, landscaped-path using local students’ expressed desires for
their walk to school as the foundation for the concepts. Project Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB9U-
w6X72yU
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