Disquiet <> Harmony brings together eight artists—four Korean and four Italian—whose practices traverse the delicate threshold between unrest and equilibrium. Curated by Italian curator Cynthia Penna and Korean curator Yujin Iris Jeong, the exhibition unfolds as a nuanced meditation on the emotional terrain of contemporary life—one marked by subtle tensions, quiet dissonance, and fleeting moments of serenity.

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Featuring works by Alfonso Sacco, Danilo Ambrosino, Marco Adinolfi, Max Coppeta, Michelle Oh, Ji Oh, YC Kim, Youngho Seok, the exhibition highlights a rich interplay of material, technique, and perspective. While each artist brings a distinct voice shaped by personal experience, their works resonate with a shared sensibility—contemporary in expression yet deeply rooted in cultural memory and tradition. Through evocative forms and thoughtful use of materials, Disquiet <> Harmony invites viewers into a space where contrast becomes conversation, and stillness emerges from the depths of unrest.

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Alfonso Sacco is an Italian artist with a background in interior and textile design. His work has been featured in numerous exhibitions across Europe, including ITALIARTS in Stockholm, Helsinki, and Tallinn, and Neapolis 2015 at the PAN in Naples. He was selected for the Porto Franco exhibition by Vittorio Sgarbi and included in the volume Artisti Sdoganati. Sacco’s projects have been supported by notable critics such as Achille Bonito Oliva and Francesco Gallo Mazzeo. In 2019, he created a public installation in Portici honoring women affected by violence. His work is also part of the private collection of renowned gallerist Lucio Amelio.

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Marco Adinolfi and Massimo Cicala have collaborated as an artistic duo since 2020, merging their backgrounds in visual art and architecture. Adinolfi, a multidisciplinary artist with over two decades of experience, explores themes of identity and belonging through painting, sculpture, and installation. Cicala, an architect and visual artist, brings a spatial and perceptual dimension to their work. Together, they approach their practice philosophically, experimenting with materials—particularly “thread,” which serves as both a structural and conceptual element. Their joint works have been exhibited at institutions including the PAN | Palazzo delle Arti Napoli and various galleries in Naples and Los Angeles between 2022 and 2025.

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Danilo Ambrosino is a contemporary artist known for his large-format works that explore themes of nature and climate change. Using acrylic enamels and gold leaf, his practice blends figurative traditions with a contemporary visual language. Ambrosino has exhibited widely in Italy, including at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, the Royal Palace of Caserta, and the Botanical Gardens of Naples and Palermo. Internationally, his work has been shown at the Mazarine Variations in Paris and the European Parliament in Brussels. His work is recognized for its poetic reflection on global environmental challenges.

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Max Coppeta is a visual artist based in Bellona, Caserta. With a background in set design and multimedia theater, he graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples in 2002 and later specialized in Visual Arts and Performance. Since 2001, he has led a Design and Visual Marketing studio, collaborating with institutions such as Teatro Bellini in Naples. Coppeta’s work blends technology and nature, exemplified by his ongoing project Synthetic Rains (2012–), which uses chemical processes to simulate natural phenomena. His multimedia practice has earned several awards and has been exhibited internationally in cities including Houston, Los Angeles, Caracas, Singapore, Tokyo, Naples, Milan, Turin, and Venice.

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Michelle Oh is a Korean-born, Los Angeles-based artist whose vibrant, multi-layered works push the limits of acrylic painting. Through a technique she calls “paint carving,” Oh builds up thick layers of acrylic paint on canvas, then carefully carves into the surface to reveal intricate patterns and hidden colors beneath. Her practice merges the processes of painting, sculpture, and printmaking, challenging the boundaries between these disciplines. Oh earned her BFA from Hong-Ik University and has exhibited widely in the U.S. and internationally. She is an active member of the Korean Artists Association of Southern California and continues to live and work in Los Angeles.

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Ji Oh is a Korean American artist based in Southern California whose work spans drawing and painting. Born in Gwangju, South Korea, she immigrated to Los Angeles at age 16 and later earned her BFA from California State University Fullerton and MFA from Claremont Graduate University. Ji has exhibited extensively across the United States and internationally in Australia, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Singapore. Her solo exhibitions include shows at PYO Gallery in Los Angeles and INSA Gallery in Seoul. In 2002, she was commissioned by the Kawaguchi Art Station in Japan, where her work remains in the permanent collection of the Lilia Cultural Center. In addition to her studio practice, Ji has curated exhibitions, served as a juror and lecturer, and currently teaches at Ji’s Art Studio in Southern California.

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Young Ho Seock is a Korean contemporary artist whose work explores soil as a medium of life, memory, and communication. A graduate of Hongik University’s Department of Painting, he is best known for his Conversation series, which reflects a meditative engagement with earth materials. His recent solo exhibitions include Maru Art Center (2023), GangS Gallery (2020), and Able Fine Art NY Gallery in New York and Seoul. Seock has shown at major international fairs such as the LA Art Show, CONTEXT Art Miami, and AAF Singapore. Critic Robert C. Morgan describes the natural luminosity in his soil-based paintings as “earthlight.” His work invites quiet dialogue with nature, emphasizing presence, touch, and reflection.

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YC Kim is a Korean-born ceramic artist whose practice bridges traditional Korean pottery and contemporary sculptural ceramics. Trained at Seoul National University during a time of cultural revival, Kim later earned an M.A. from UC Berkeley, where studying under Peter Voulkos profoundly shifted her artistic perspective. Her work explores themes of time, mortality, and nature’s vastness, often inspired by the ocean and desert landscapes of California. Kim sees art-making as a continuous process of experimentation, rooted in childlike curiosity and freedom. She has taught ceramics for over three decades, including a long tenure at San Diego City College. A former president of the Allied Craftsmen of San Diego and an active member of NCECA, Kim’s work invites personal interpretation and spiritual reflection.