UCLA offers students original and extensive art scene

By Dana Messore
DAILY BRUIN CONTRIBUTOR
[email protected]

Just as you find yourself hankering for an artistic fix and
decide to venture off to every museum in Los Angeles County with
admission charges that will deny you that trip to Starbucks ““
stop.

Take a look around you. The UCLA campus is a living,
breathing gallery that hosts a plethora of art. Throughout
UCLA’s history, nature and art have slowly evolved amid the
scrambling of students, rapidity of classes and chaos of life
““ ever in the background and often unnoticed.

In an environment that is a mixture of cultures and creeds,
UCLA’s aesthetic beauty need not be reserved for those with
an artistic or creative flair.

“I don’t think you have to be an art major to enjoy
art at UCLA,” said Nazanin Ghazi, a third-year political
science and history student. “The art incorporated at the
school is part of its culture, and it’s part of what makes it
different from other universities.”

A leisurely stroll around the campus will reveal examples of
creativity and imagination that may otherwise be overlooked when
dashing about from class to class.

The Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden of North Campus is the
largest outdoor sculpture garden on the West Coast. With over
70 unique works of art from 20th-century artists, the garden is a
place where one can argue with a friend over the differences
between the Matisse and the Falkenstein, as well as an enjoyable
place to relax and think. 

A significantly smaller though equally pleasing sculpture
collection can be seen in the courtyard of Rolfe Hall, containing a
melange of male and female representational figures.

Architecturally, UCLA is home to some of the most aesthetically
pleasing structures in Los Angeles.  Royce Hall and the
College Library are two of the oldest buildings on
campus. Built in 1929 and modeled after an Italian basilica,
Royce Hall not only holds beauty and innovation, but is a building
that is immediately identified with the campus. The inspiration of
Italian monuments is also evident in the construction of the
College Library. The library’s octagonal tower resembles
the Church of St. Sepolcro in Bologna, and its main entrance is
modeled after that of the Church of San Zenove in Verona.

The painting enthusiast might greatly enjoy the convenient on-
campus galleries in both the Northern Lights and Kerckhoff
coffeehouses. Both galleries display student art. 

“Short of graffiti, where could a student just starting
out find a gallery to show their work, especially one with this
type of exposure?” said Tim Killops, manager of the Northern
Lights Coffeehouse.

With new student work displayed about every two weeks, both
galleries are popular outlets for student expression as well as
peer admiration.

Horticulturally-inclined individuals can enjoy the Mildred E.
Mathias Botanical Garden, which displays over 5,000 species of
tropical and subtropical plants from 225 families.

Those with an eye for wonder can appreciate the Inverted
Fountain in South Campus.  Completed in 1968, the fountain has
a recirculating water flow of 10,000 gallons per minute.

The possibilities for an artistic campus experience are
seemingly endless.

“There is so much art on campus,” Killops said.
“I’m always discovering a new piece somewhere.
There’s so much history on campus when you put it all
together, it’s almost art in itself, living art.”

Despite the wonders and artistic experiences on campus, people
who still yearn for the traditional museum experience can rest
easy.  Just west of Royce Hall, the Fowler Museum is the only
Los Angeles museum that focuses primarily on the arts from Africa,
Oceania, Asia and Native and Latin America.

“What students can see on campus are exhibits that
eventually travel to major museums,” said Marla Berns,
Director of the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History. “One
of the highest priorities is to make the Fowler an (available)
place for students.”

Students have the opportunity to see exhibits and experience the
museum five days a week for free.

From painting to architecture, sculpture to design, UCLA is a
thriving metropolis of artistic creation available to all students,
free of charge and to be enjoyed at leisure. In an environment
where stress and students frolic hand in hand, tranquillity can
feel like a coveted rarity, but nonetheless is there for the
taking.