Architecture & Beyond

Artist Sara Velas on Velaslavasasy Panorama's Architectural Vistas

Thursday, February 19, 2026 - 6:30pm

 

Thursday, February 19th, 2026 - 6:30-8:00 PM

 

LOS FELIZ BRANCH LIBRARY
located at 1874 Hillhurst Ave, LA, CA 90027

Doors open at 6:30 - the lecture begins promptly at 6:45 PM

 

A panorama is a 360-degree landscape painting - seen from a viewing platform after entering through a dark hallway. Patented by Irishman Robert Barker in 1787, this technology was intended for art and entertainment. These massive canvases are capable of transporting visitors to magnificent travel locations - a view of Niagara Falls in the center of London - and historic battles - back in time 100-200 years to experience the Battle of Waterloo on the spot of the conflict.

 

 

Sara Velas began studying and creating panoramas in the late 20th century. In 1999 she toured Europe seeking out heritage-era panoramas located in out-of-the-way towns of Switzerland and hidden corners of Austria. Inspired by this inaugural European pilgrimage and her ongoing panoramic form research, it was a chance encounter with a vacant round Chinese take-out restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard in 2000 that prompted her to create a specialized museum - The Velaslavasay Panorama. In 2004 Sara relocated the project to the historic Union Theater in West Adams - Los Angeles' first purpose-built (and still extant) cinemas, built in 1910.

Sara will give an illustrated presentation on several major Velaslavasay Panorama projects including behind-the-scenes information on their creation, and an overview of the panoramic form and its architectural integrations.

 

 

Architecture & Beyond is a FREE LECTURE SERIES supported by Friends of Los Feliz Library and merchants of the Los Feliz BID