Petal Ballet Mosaics Ii: Unity (Limited Edition Of 20) Photograph

Artist | Art Educator | Entrepreneur Michael Shi is a New York–based artist, fine art and commercial photographer, and art educator whose work bridges the worlds of dance, movement, and visual storytelling. Renowned for his emotionally charged dance photography, Shi has won over 30 international awards and exhibited widely across the United States, Europe, and Asia, including solo exhibitions in New York and Shanghai, and group showcases in Paris, Prague, Dubai, and Greece. Shi made history as the first photographer ever to hold a solo exhibition at the prestigious Shanghai Symphony Hall, a landmark that symbolizes the fusion of visual art and performance. His images are celebrated for capturing the essence of dance — translating fleeting motion into timeless emotion. Shi began his dance photography journey in 2012 while pursuing his MBA at Penn State University. His distinctive visual language merges the discipline of classical dance with the fluidity of contemporary emotion, celebrating the human body as an instrument of both grace and strength. In addition to his artistic practice, Shi is the co-founder of Sunrise Art Group, established in 2014 in Shanghai, which focuses on musical theatre and creative arts education for children and young adults. The organization promotes artistic growth and cross-cultural collaboration, cultivating confidence and creativity in the next generation of performers. Shi holds two master’s degrees — one in Statistics and another in Business Administration (MBA) — blending analytical precision with artistic intuition. His professional journey reflects a rare balance of structure and spontaneity, business and art. He has collaborated with prestigious institutions including the UMKC Conservatory and the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (Institut Seni Indonesia Denpasar), and has been sponsored by global brands such as Sony, fashion label Tracy Chu, and smartphone companies OPPO and HONOR. Today, Shi continues to explore the intersection of art, movement, and human emotion. His photographs invite viewers to find stillness within motion — moments where passion, precision, and poetry coexist in perfect harmony.