Biography

Made in China and assembled in the USA, I was born in Beijing and moved to the US before becoming a teenager.

After receiving a secondary public education in Madison, NJ, I spent the summer between high school and college traveling across the United States. After 45 days riding Greyhound buses, I captured over 6000 photographs and visited over 30 cities. Consequently, this trip had a dramatic effect on my photography interest.

Soon after, I attended the University of Rochester (Rochester, NY) majoring in chemistry with a management certificate in accounting/finance, along with pre-med. My interest in medicine changed after college and I returned to my passion in photography.

I have been taking photographs for over 20 years and I am best known for my abstract architectural series. My photos have been exhibited in galleries since I was 19 years old. Collectors often include leaders of corporations and private institutions have also used my photographs commercially.

Exhibitions

2022, September 4 to October 1: Gryphon Café (Wayne, PA) - “My Last Exhibition” (Dedicated to My Grandmother)
2018, October: Gravy Studio and Gallery (Philadelphia, PA)
2018, September: Beyond the Seams (Philadelphia, PA) - “Group Show”
2016, January 9 to January 16: Con Artist Gallery (New York, NY) – “Is/Is Not”
2015, December 16 to December 29: Con Artist Gallery (New York, NY) – “Religion, Inc.”
2015, November 4 to November 18: Con Artist Gallery (New York, NY) – “Celebrity”
2014, October 7 to November 2: Image City Photography Gallery (Rochester, NY) - “Nine Piece Exhibition”
2012 to 2014: Recovery Partnership (Bethlehem, PA)
2011, July 15 to August 14: Gallery 14 (Hopewell, NJ) - “Juried Photo Show”
2011, January 6 to January 29: Artists for Art Gallery (Scranton, PA) - “Three Points of View”
2007, March 3 to April 6: Ambré Studio (Bethlehem, PA) - “Architecture Perspective: A Geometric-Reflective Portfolio of Urban American Travel” Solo Exhibition
2006, November 18 to January 18, 2007: Ambré Studio (Bethlehem, PA) - “Snow So White and the Wonders of Winter”
2006, November 18 to December 30: Connexions Gallery (Easton, PA) - “Holiday Show”
2006, September 13 to November 12: Connexions Gallery (Easton, PA) - “Fall Group Exhibition”
2006, Spring: University of Rochester (Rochester, NY) - Harnett Gallery - “Exhibition U”
2006, February: University of Rochester (Rochester, NY) - ASIS Gallery - “Birds Descend” Solo Exhibition
2004, Fall: University of Rochester (Rochester, NY) - Harnett Gallery - “NYC Collection”
2004, January: Chase Auditorium (Madison, NJ) - “Solo Exhibition of American Travels” Solo Exhibition
2003: Madison Public Library (Madison, NJ) - “Ten Piece Exhibition”
2003: Sweet Dreams Café (Madison, NJ) - “Earliest Works”

Publications

2020: Zhaoism - The Autobiography of Hiatt Zhao: The First 25 Years (Kindle ebook and paperback from Amazon)
2013: Architecture Perspective: The Ambré Collection (Kindle ebook and paperback from Amazon)
2009: The Artistic Portfolio of Hiatt Zhao (out of print)
2009: Architecture Perspective (out of print)
2007: Teenage American Travel: Around the US in 45 Days (out of print)
2005-2006, Spring 2005, Fall 2004, Spring 2004: LOGOS (archived at the University of Rochester libraries)
2003: Glyphs (archived at Madison High School in Madison, NJ)
2003: Windmill of Wonder, Images of the Mind (archived at the International Library of Photography)

Recognition

2010: University of Rochester Department of Chemistry established the “Hiatt Zhao Art Appreciation Prize”
2006, October 14: Certificate of Recognition Honorable Mention Award for “Picture Bucks County”

Press

2007, March 15: “Young Traveler’s Camera Clicks Cleverly Mix Science and Art” – by Geoff Gehman (The Morning Call)