Arts in Irvine invites the community to experience 20 Years Later: The Great Picture, an exhibition exploring the creation and legacy of one of the most ambitious photographic projects ever undertaken.
Opening Thursday, June 11, at Irvine City Hall, the exhibition revisits The Great Picture — the world’s largest photograph — created in 2006 by six Southern California photographers known collectively as The Legacy Project. A free opening reception to commemorate the 20th anniversary will be held from 5 to 7 p.m.
Measuring an astonishing 31 feet by 111 feet, The Great Picture was produced using the world’s largest camera: a converted airplane hangar transformed into a giant pinhole camera at the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. Captured July 12, 2006, the photograph documents the decommissioned military base before its transformation into what is now the Great Park. Due to the large-scale nature of The Great Picture, the picture itself will not be exhibited, as there is currently no public space large enough to display it safely.
20 Years Later: The Great Picture highlights the making of the photograph, exploring the technical innovation, collaboration, and artistic vision behind this monumental undertaking. Through photographs, archival materials, process documentation, and behind-the-scenes insights, the exhibition offers visitors a closer look at how an abandoned hangar became an unprecedented photographic instrument and how the project helped redefine the possibilities of analog photography.
On display through December 11, the exhibition also celebrates the enduring influence of The Legacy Project and its contributions to the history of contemporary photography. The collective includes artists and photographers Jerry Burchfield, Mark Chamberlain, Jacques Garnier, Rob Johnson, Douglas McCulloh, and Clayton Spada.
By revisiting this landmark image nearly two decades later, the exhibition invites audiences to reflect on transformation — of landscape, technology, and memory — while celebrating a project that captured a pivotal moment in Irvine’s history.
City Hall is open to the public 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Monday–Thursday and 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Friday. The exhibition, parking, and opening reception are free and open to the public. For more information, visit cityofirvine.gov/arts (Open in new window).
