"I don't know how to paint. That gives me an advantage because I don't have the typical artistic mindset," he says.

Regarding the narrative and metaphorical elements that permeate his work, Jin acknowledges that his lack of formal training in lines, light and color often leads him to create stories or add complexity to the details. He aims to incorporate elements that capture attention and shift focus away from questions of technical training or color accuracy.

"I don't try to make my paintings look realistic. I want to express my ideas or blend them. It's like playing," he adds.

Jin does not adhere to a strictly realistic approach to painting. For instance, in his maps, he frequently mixes up the directions of north and south. Unlike standard maps, which require precision and scale, his maps allow for roads that are wider or longer than reality, embracing a more fluid interpretation of space.

Drafting dreams

Jin's approach to painting is rooted in storytelling. Without a clear narrative behind the work, he loses interest in creating it.

"If I haven't figured it out, I won't paint it. There needs to be something that excites me or a fictional story to inspire the work," he says.

His painting An European Building tells the story of a building he passed daily during middle school. It always intrigued him, but he struggled to find a way to depict it. The breakthrough came when he imagined a hand lifting the building, sparking his creative process.

He envisioned the building as a box, with a woman's lips and chin peeking out from underneath. With this concept, the painting was complete.

"People often wonder whether the hand is lifting the building or setting it down. This ambiguity is one of the hallmarks of my style," Jin says.

The image of the horse appears frequently in Jin's artwork, a reflection of his earlier experiences in rural Heilongjiang. "Back then, I spent every day caring for these animals and observing their emotions: joy, anger and sorrow," he recalls.