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  CHRIS BACKLEY Alejandro Plascencia, left, a first-year graduate student in urban planning, and first-year student Diane Blackburn study front of the art-adorned walls of Northern Lights coffeehouse. Northern Lights is located in North Campus near Rolfe Hall.

By Amy Shen

Daily Bruin Contributor

Just as the aurora borealis adorns the skies of the Northern Hemisphere with a glowing display of colored lights, the Northern Lights Coffeehouse graces UCLA’s North Campus with a different, but equally beautiful, visual spectacle.

Since its opening four years ago, the coffeehouse has become popular among the legions of artists who flock to its ambient atmosphere, pulsating beats and sleek, modern decor. A sign above the entrance way proclaims: Northern Lights ‘Stellar Coffee.’ But more than coffee, the café serves the UCLA community with a special blend of artistic flavor. A trip into the coffeehouse will bring you into the midst of a unique exhibition of visual and performance arts.

Every two weeks the yellow walls and clay-colored hallways of the café are bedecked with the work of a different student artist. The exhibitions showcase talent from all media and styles, ranging from oil paintings and water colors to sketches and photography. The café has even been known to collaborate with the nearby Seeds University Elementary School in creating exhibits that allow children to display their artistic skills.

The atmosphere created by the structure and decor of the coffeehouse lends itself well to the exhibits.

  CHRIS BACKLEY Currently on display at Northern Lights coffeehouse is the photographic work of Ariele De Paolo, a third-year psychology and English student. Her work, which includes some nudes, has elicited mixed reactions from coffeehouse patrons. “Northern Lights has more of an open, airy ... gallery feel to it. Look at the walls and the way it’s designed – the decor is stainless steel and art deco and modern,” said Tim Killops, the café’s manager.

“The sky is the limit,” Killops said, referring to what kind of art is shown at the café.

Some nights the café hosts poetry readings, small plays and musical acts – all of which are provided free of charge to loyal customers and artists. The Associated Students of UCLA see it as a way of giving back to the students who have supported the coffeehouse for the past four years, allowing them to showcase their talents and to enjoy the unique talents of their peers.

On display until Dec. 9 is a photographic study of the human body by third-year psychology and English student Ariele De Paolo. Her collection of 46 black-and-white photographs capture the body from various angles and perspectives – ranging from head shots to full nudes – all exhibiting a beautifully artistic use of light and shadow. The artist’s accompanying poem, entitled “46 Exposures,” discusses the relationship between identity, appearance and reality.

“(Northern Lights) is one of the only on-campus venues that artists can use to display their work, (if they are not) art majors, so I thought it would be a great opportunity,” De Paolo said of the chance to display her work at the coffeehouse. “I think being able to exhibit my art sort of gives it a purpose as opposed to just having a hobby ... you actually get to do something with it.”

According to De Paolo, the reactions she has gotten from the exhibit have been mixed. Many people have responded positively to the work, while others have conveyed a sense of shock at the somewhat controversial nature of the art displayed in the café.

“That’s the whole point, almost – it’s shock value,” De Paolo said. “I think people have a lot of inhibitions...they have to come to terms with.”

The opportunity to display her work at Northern Lights has given De Paolo a certain personal and universal satisfaction – allowing her to share her love of photography, while being able to open the eyes of others to the world of art.

The management and staff at Northern Lights hope that the students of UCLA – both those who get the chance to display their talent, and those who come to enjoy it – will gain something valuable from these exhibits.

“We want to encourage creativity and student participation and appreciation of other students’ work ... and just an appreciation of diversity and art in general,” Killops said. “So many artists don’t have the opportunity to display their stuff and have this type of exposure.”

“(For) the people who see the work, just to see what’s going on in the art world – it exposes them to it,”he continued. “And perhaps when they read in the newspaper that there’s an art exhibit somewhere, they’ll go, ‘Hey, I really enjoy that stuff at Northern Lights, why don’t we go check this one out?’ So it just kind of builds on itself.”

Upcoming events at Northern Lights include an art exhibit by Dominick Chen on Dec. 11 and an exhibit by David Stromberg in February.

EXHIBIT: Artists interested in upcoming events or showcasing their talents should contact Tim Killops at Northern Lights Coffeehouse, (310) 206-0373. Northern Lights Coffeehouse is open Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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