NW Missouri Times

Northwest Missouri State University will host Arizona-based sculptor Bobby Zokaites as the first guest artist of its 2025-26 academic year. Zokaites is scheduled to give a lecture at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, September 29, in the Charles Johnson Theater at the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building. The event will coincide with the opening of his exhibit and will be followed by a reception. Both the lecture and reception are open to the public at no cost.

Zokaites is known for creating large-scale, colorful sculptures designed for public spaces that encourage interaction. In July, he received the 2025 US Water Prize for Outstanding Artist from the US Water Alliance for his installation “A Time Machine Called Tinaja,” which was developed in partnership with Phoenix’s Water Services Department and Office of Arts and Culture.

The exhibition at Northwest Missouri State University will run through Friday, October 24. It aims to showcase Zokaites’s approach to transforming outdoor art into a gallery context while providing insight into his artistic process.

Tom LaPann, associate professor of art at Northwest and faculty sponsor for the exhibit, commented on Zokaites’s work: “I deeply admire his ability to bridge his studio practice with the public art world. He has a unique talent for staying true to his artistic style and the work he enjoys making, while also creating impactful public art that solves problems. I always appreciate how his distinct style and innovative ideas elevate practical solutions into something more profound.”

LaPann also emphasized the educational value of such events: “It is incredibly valuable for students to interact with professional artists like Bobby because they bring real-world experience, unique stories, opinions and values from the contemporary art world. This is one of the most beneficial experiences students can have at the University. They get the opportunity to ask questions that might not be covered in textbooks or traditional classes, which significantly rounds out their educational experience.”

Funding for Zokaites’s visit and exhibit is provided by the Missouri Arts Council.

Later in the fall semester, MAC visiting artist Sean Fitzgibbon from Arkansas will present an exhibit beginning November 3 with an opening reception.

All exhibitions take place on the first floor of Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building and are free to attend. Gallery hours during fall are noon to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays.

For additional information, individuals may contact Northwest’s School of Fine and Performing Arts at 660.562.1326.