The US Water Alliance has awarded Bobby Zokaites the 2025 US Water Prize for Outstanding Artist, recognizing his nationally acclaimed work A Time Machine Called Tinaja – a transformative public art installation developed in partnership with the City of Phoenix Water Services Department and Office of Arts and Culture.
This prestigious national honor, presented during the One Water Summit in Pittsburgh, celebrates artists whose work fosters deeper public understanding of water issues and inspires innovative, community-centered water solutions.
Created on a former municipal well site in Maryvale, A Time Machine Called Tinaja reimagines a vacant lot into a vibrant pedestrian corridor and gathering space, blending art, water history, and landscape design. The sculpture features two glowing blue arches symbolizing water’s movement and memory, surrounded by desert-adapted landscaping that reflects the region’s environmental and agricultural legacy.
"I started by wanting to make beautiful objects," said Zokaites. "To receive this award now –at a national level – validates that we are having an impact, and that this kind of work can help cities across the country connect people to water in meaningful, visible ways."
Named after the desert basin-like formations that hold seasonal water, Tinaja serves as both a physical and metaphorical bridge – linking generations of students, neighbors, and water professionals in a space that honors stewardship and imagination. The project also involved direct input from local high school students, who inspired design elements that center the community’s lived experience.
"We are proud to see Bobby’s work nationally recognized for its power to transform civic spaces and elevate everyday experiences," said Mitch Menchaca, Director of the City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture. "Tinaja is more than a sculpture – it’s a story, a path, and a reflection of our community’s past and future. This award highlights the important role artists play in shaping inclusive and meaningful public infrastructure."
Zokaites has become known for his large-scale public artworks that invite interaction and reflect the values and stories of the communities where they are placed. His collaboration with Phoenix Water Services reflects a growing national movement to embed art in infrastructure, making the built environment more inclusive, engaging, and culturally resonant.
A Time Machine Called Tinaja is located at 73rd Avenue and Crittenden Lane, adjacent to El Oso Park in West Phoenix. It was completed in 2020 through a partnership between Phoenix Water Services, the City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, and Dig Studio.
For more on the artist and his work, visit www.bobbyzokaites.com.
For more on the US Water Prize, visit uswateralliance.org.
Meet the 2025 US Water Prize Winners
Learn more about each of the winners and their accomplishments
Media Contacts:
Michael Gertzman
Sr. Public Information Officer
Phoenix Water Services Department
602-534-1209
michael.gertzman@phoenix.gov
Seth Landau
Sr. Public Information Officer
City of Phoenix Arts and Culture
602-315-1601
seth.landau@phoenix.gov
Maggie Pierce
Studio Administrator
Zokaites Sculpture
903-258-4868
zokaitessculpture@gmail.com
Mary Morton
US Water Alliance
media@uswateralliance.org
