Jin Shijian is perhaps the former. A small exhibition of a varied of his artworks is running at Shanghai Art Museum.

Born in 1960 in Heishan County, Liaoning Province, Jin graduated from the oil painting department at China Academy of Fine Art in Hangzhou in neighboring Zhejiang Province.

It is a bit strange that some Chinese critics call him "an artist of classicalism," because a power of tension and struggle often fills his art instead of harmony or romance. Much of it is dark. Perhaps that reflects his northern blood - wild, passionate and rough - though he spent nearly two decades in beautiful and refined Hangzhou in the south.

"We could see a melding of northern and southern characteristics in his art," says exhibition curator Jiang Mei. "His art pieces combine realism and expressionism."

Jin adds some surrealistic symbols in a magical backdrop reminiscent of scenes in "Harry Porter" movies. For example, his interpretation of West Lake in Hangzhou is totally different from those of others who depict it as a harmonious and beautiful landscape.

Jin sees it as a dark and ghostly place where anything could happen. He paints it as a haunting night scape.

The question is how many visitors will accept a "dark scene" on the surface while the real purpose of the artist remains a riddle.

Date: through December 20, 9am-5pm
Address: 325 Nanjing Rd W.
Admission: 20 yuan
Tel: 021-6327-2829