Wire sculpture Solidification. Photo Courtesy of the 11 Gallery.

Throughout the exhibition, Jin keeps the mystery alive by keeping his mouth shut, letting viewers draw their own allegories. The most that the artist will acknowledge is that, "Even for Chinese, some types of calligraphy, such as the cursive script, can be difficult to read, but the enchantment of calligraphy can be understood by most people.

The sculptor is an urban archaeologist of sorts, scavenging through Beijing hutong demolitions to rescue artifacts of the past. At his Beijing studio, the metal "calligraphy" is then mounted on antique wooden doors, worn down by time and decay. The calligraphic shadows on these weather-beaten gates provide a living connection to the Beijing courtyards of yesteryear.

The sculptor left one of these courtyards 20 years ago, rising to prominence as a member of the Artists Guild of San Francisco.

Now back in China, the sculptor's prodigal return has been an emotional reunion of sorts with his classmates from a remarkable period (1987-1992) in the Department of Sculpture at China's Central Academy of Fine Arts. His close friends are notable alumni, including internationally famous sculptors Zhan Wang, Xiang Jing and Zhang Defeng.

During his time with the guild in San Francisco, Jin would often participate in the guilds many exhibitions in public parks.

During these exhibitions, featuring his large-scale sculptures, Jin would resist the "Do Not Touch" mentality that exists among art museums, inviting the public to reach out and feel his sculptures in order to better "commune with art."

However, a return to China seems to have brought a return to tradition.

"My shadow sculptures are too delicate," he grins. "I don't want anyone touching these pieces."

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