Alexis Zoto

Alexis Zoto is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern California's Gayle Garner Roski School of Art and Design, where she chairs the Design, 3D program. A practicing artist, designer, researcher, and writer, her work intertwines her Albanian Orthodox heritage with themes of acculturation, feminism, and personal identity as a woman, educator, wife, and mother.

Education:

• MFA from University of California, Santa Barbara
• Alumna of the Roski School

Zoto's research focuses on textile art, particularly kilims (flat woven rugs) and their cultural evolution within Albanian diaspora communities in the United States. Her artistic practice manifests as contemporary baroque assemblages, textiles, and works on paper, often merging stories from antiquity with family lore.

Awards and Recognition:

• Zumberge Innovation Grant for research on Albanian textiles
• Named 'Cultural Trailblazer' by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs

Her site-specific installations have been exhibited globally, including at the Venice Biennale in Italy and the Los Angeles International Airport, reflecting her commitment to engaging diverse audiences through public art.