In continuation of its Art at City Hall series, the City of Irvine along with the Irvine Historical Society, will exhibit beginning Dec. 9 “Old Town Irvine,” a pictorial celebration of the city’s early beginnings.
The exhibit will feature photographs collected by Rene Laursen, a local visual documentarian, alongside an array of images selected by University of California–Irvine Libraries, that capture “the small-town origin of our city,” according to city officials.
As suggested by its name, the exhibit, which runs through March, will offer a selection of reproduced images at City Hall that embody Irvine’s foundation back in its farming days, officials said.
The images display Irvine in the 1800s—prior to its incorporation in 1971—which was known then for being an agricultural hub, and now as a fast-growing city of over 300,000 residents.
“Irvine was so different back when it was a farm town,” Attorney Scott Hansen—who ran unsuccessfully for the Irvine City Council this year with a promise to bring more art to the city—told The Epoch Times. “People really like to see these images from way back when.”
An opening reception will be held on Dec. 15 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at City Hall, which is located at 1 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine.
