by Andrew Alonzo | aalonzo@claremont-courier.com

Ahmad Shariff Art Gallery’s “Visible Vibrations; The Korean Art Palette Continues,” featuring powerhouse artist, Sori Choi, runs August 2-23 at 107 Harvard Ave., with free tours during Saturday’s Claremont Art Walk and from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Some 40 pieces from Choi and other South Korean artists make up “Visible Vibrations,” including paintings, photographs, and ceramics, all of them from a previous exhibit at Art in Dongsan in Seoul, and from March’s “Korean Art Palette,” at the Sasse Museum of Art in Pomona and at the Shariff Gallery.

A close-up of “KOI 541” by Miseon Jeon, on view at Ahmad Shariff Art Gallery as part of “Visible Vibrations; The Korean Art Palette Continues.” Courier photo/Andrew Alonzo

Artists include Dongyoon Kang, Minsoo Kang, Jaegue Kim, Meeyoung Nam, Yousun Moon, Jinny Suh, Jun Hur, Jungsoo Yang, Rosa Oh, Bukang Yu Kim, Kapim Lee, Myungsook Lee, Yangmi Lee, Taehyun Lee, Miseon Jeon, Eunha Chung, Jungmook Jung, Steel Che, Sungduck Hong, and others.

“Visible Vibrations; The Korean Art Palette Continues” is part of an ongoing collaboration between Shariff and Seoul native Eunha Chung, founder and director of Art in Dongsan. Chung has exhibited works by artists who’ve shown at the Shariff Gallery at her space in Seoul, and vice-versa.

“The whole idea was to do a kind of fun exchange where we bring some of our local artists from Claremont, take them to Korea and then have Korean artists bring them here,” Shariff said. “So, it’s kind of two civilizations, two different cultures, two different things meeting up in here.”

From August 7-10, Chung will show work by Jackie Leishman, Andrew Bentson, Nate McMullen, Shariff, and others at the BANK Art Fair at the Seoul Trade Exhibition and Convention.

“This exchange goes beyond simply exhibiting art — it is a meaningful experience rooted in mutual respect and the expansion of cultural and aesthetic perspectives,” Chung wrote in an email.

Chung opened Art in Dongsan in 2018. In 2024, Chung connected with Shariff at the Los Angeles Art Show and visited his Claremont gallery. After striking up a friendship, “we made a mutual commitment to collaborate and introduce Korean and American artists to one another,” Chung wrote. Later that year, Chung invited Shariff to participate in the “Global Art Palette” exhibit.

“Cross-border gallery collaborations exemplify the true power of art,” Chung wrote. “People of different backgrounds and languages can connect through shared artistic sensibilities. Through this sincerity and openness, we create cultural empathy and creative synergy that are deeply impactful. Art captures the essence of life and makes genuine connection possible. Having once been a science teacher before studying Visual Communication in the U.S., I’ve cultivated a creative perspective that bridges art and science. These experiences have become the foundation of my gallery’s direction. I believe it’s deeply important for the public to absorb the spirit of diverse cultures through art, as it nurtures empathy and respect in our everyday lives.”

Shariff said he hopes all the artists benefit from the exchange.

“I want them to get that international exposure,” he said. “That’s so important because it’s an experience by itself. You know, an artist will paint and get influenced by his area. But once that artist becomes more international, now his art is going to change because he can’t forget essentials of what other countries are liking at that minute or what they love.”

“Visible Vibrations; The Korean Art Palette Continues” runs August 2-23 at Ahmad Shariff Art Gallery, 107 Harvard Ave., Claremont. Tour information is at ahmadshariffgallery.com or by calling (909) 447-2316.